Somewhere We Belong
by Shoshanna33
Summary: This story is set two years or so after the second Wizarding War. Hermione and Draco have both run off to Muggle London to escape their memories of the war and start new lives as they each figure out what they want in life. What happens when they meet up again by chance encounter? Has Draco really changed? Has Hermione changed too? Dramione love!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

**Summary:** This story is set two years or so after the second Wizarding War. Hermione and Draco have both run off to Muggle London to escape their memories of the war and start new lives as they each figure out what they want in life. What happens when they meet up again by chance encounter? Has Draco really changed? Has Hermione changed too?

Everything is canon from the books and movies (at least I think so!) but veers off into a different world after the war and is not epilogue compliant. Pairing is Draco/Hermione if you haven't figured that out yet, with some Harry and Ginny thrown in too. Filled with some fluffy romance and drama. Rated Mature for sexual situations and bad language, but no smut. Happy reading! And please remember to leave feedback!

Hermione sat in the small Muggle café and read her book as she sipped her coffee. After the war ended, she found herself needing to escape the Wizarding world for awhile. She had been offered countless jobs at the Ministry and even had a chance to go back to Hogwarts to finish out her last year, but she turned it all down. She wasn't against magic or anything, but she felt like her childhood had escaped her because she was always involved in life or death battles since she was eleven years old. It was just too much. And she'd seen too many people that she cared about die. And it was all in the name of pure bloods versus Muggleborns and good and evil and dark magic and light magic. She just wanted a chance to be a normal girl for awhile. A normal twenty year old with her whole life ahead of her. That's when she made the decision to move to Muggle London and work in a bookshop. It was an unexpected choice for the girl who was once called the brightest witch of her age. Everyone expected great things from her, which was precisely why she wanted to get away for a bit. She wanted time to find herself and figure out who she really was without the threat of death hanging over her head. She knew someday she'd return to that world and do something good, but for now, she was just taking a breather.

Harry and Ron had not shared her desire to leave. Harry became an Auror and Ron worked with George at the joke shop in Diagon Alley. She and Ron were still seeing each other, but it wasn't as often as he wished. Hermione could still visit him easily by apparating herself to his house, she just had to make sure no Muggles saw her disappearing into thin air. And she still spoke to Harry and Ginny all the time too. She hadn't deserted them all. She just needed a little time for herself away from everyone. And even though Ron tried to stop her, there's no stopping Hermione when she's made up her mind about something. And this was definitely something she felt she had to do.

She was so lost in her book that she didn't notice the blonde man enter the café. And she definitely didn't notice him pick her out of the crowd and stare at her intently. He couldn't quite believe his eyes. His first instinct was to turn around and leave, but then he thought better of it. It was time to stop being a coward and running away from things. There was a time when he would have swaggered right on over to her and said something horribly insulting and rude and laughed when she got mad at him. But now the fight had left him and he had no words he wanted to spew forth just to see her reaction. To be honest, he was a little afraid of her, not that he'd ever admit it to anyone. But she was far more clever and talented than he ever gave her credit for. Plus he didn't know if she was hiding a wand in her handbag, even if they were in the middle of a Muggle café. She might Avada him right on the spot if he wasn't careful. He decided the best course of action was to pretend he didn't see her. He went up to the counter and ordered a coffee, glancing over his shoulder just to make sure that the brown haired girl didn't notice him. Her nose was still buried in her book. Just like always. But she looked different somehow. Older and wiser. Prettier than he remembered. Not that he ever really thought she was ugly. But something about the way she looked now made him wish he could keep staring at her, but he turned his head around to accept his coffee. Now was the problem of where to sit. All the tables furthest from her were taken. The only open seat he could find was right across from her. He thought about just getting the coffee to go, but then he realized to himself that he didn't really want to go.

So he boldly sat down at the table across from her and just stared at her for a moment. He averted his eyes when she started to look up, as if she sensed his eyes on her. Had she spotted him, he wondered? He looked up from the table and glanced at her. She was looking right at him now and he saw her expression turn to a scowl when she realized just who it was she was looking at.

"Malfoy?" she asked with disdain in her voice.

"Granger," he said calmly as he took a sip of his coffee.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked him.

"I'm just having a bit of coffee. And yourself?" He was trying to be cool and unaffected like he usually was. He didn't want her to know that it was difficult for him to talk to her, especially since she seemed very unhappy to see him.

"I'm having coffee as well," she replied coolly. "But I meant what are you doing in London? In this place? Why aren't you sitting in your manor on top of your piles of money?"

He laughed somewhat bitterly. "Yeah right. _My_ piles of money. It's not _my_ money, Granger. It's my father's. And right now, we aren't speaking, if you must know."

"Why not?" she asked curiously.

"Why do you think?" he tossed back at her.

She thought for a moment and then shook her head. She realized she didn't really care why he was there. She just looked back down at her book and pretended to read. Of all the people to run into, why did it have to be him, she wondered to herself. Before she knew it, he was slipping into the booth across from her, still holding his coffee cup in his hand.

"You just gonna pretend I'm not here, is that it?" he asked.

"Why are you sitting at my table? Go back to your own table. And what do you care if I pretend you're not here?" she shot back at him.

"Look, Granger, I'm not here to bother you. I just thought maybe you could do with a bit of company, that's all. I don't see your sidekicks anywhere."

"I don't have sidekicks. And I'm perfectly content to sit here alone and read my book." And she went back to doing that, ignoring his presence at her table.

He just stared at her for a moment then he sighed and sat back into the booth. Silence overcame them but he couldn't seem to stop himself from speaking.

"So really, what are you doing in a Muggle café without Potter and Weasel?" he asked softly, so no one would hear him using the word 'Muggle'.

She looked up at him. "His name is Ron, not Weasel. And for your information I'm taking a little break from the magic world. I live here now."

"You live in the café?" he asked with a smirk.

"Not in the café, you git. In London. After the war, I just wanted to escape a bit. Get my head on straight without worrying if I'm going to die at any moment," she admitted to him.

He nodded. "Yeah, that's why I'm here too. To escape. My family's name is disgraced now and everyone thinks we should be rotting in Azkaban instead of roaming free. It's not exactly a good time to be a Malfoy."

"Is that why you and your father aren't speaking? Because you're mad at him about the war?" she asked quietly.

He thought for a moment and then answered her. "Partly, yeah. He forced me to do things I didn't want to do. I know it wasn't all his fault. He was being told what to do by Voldemort. He had no real say in anything. None of us did. But it's his fault for aligning himself with the Dark Lord in the first place. So yes, I'm mad at him for that."

"Well I'd be mad too if my family was a bunch of Death Eaters. Which come to think of it, aren't you one too?" she asked giving him a hard glare.

"I never wanted to be one. They forced me," he admitted quietly, looking away from her.

"Do you still have it?" Hermione asked curiously.

"What? The mark? Of course. Do you think it washes off with soap and water?" he laughed bitterly. "It'll always be there. But that doesn't mean that's who I am."

"Then who are you?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

She thought for a moment before speaking. "That's what I'm trying to figure out too."

They just stared at each other for a minute until it got too uncomfortable and they had to look away. Hermione wasn't used to sharing a conversation with Draco Malfoy that didn't begin and end with insults and threats and wands being waved around. It was weird. _He_ was weird. She didn't even understand why he was talking to her at all. All throughout school he'd done nothing but call her a filthy little mudblood and practically spit on her. And now he was just sitting there in Muggle clothes, sipping a coffee, sharing a booth with her at a café while talking about his life. What was wrong with this picture? Everything was wrong with this picture, she decided.

"How long are you planning on sitting here?" she asked him with irritation in her voice.

"At least until I finish my coffee," he replied with a small smile.

"Well drink fast because I'd prefer to be alone."

He took a sip and looked at her. "You really want to be alone, or you just really don't want to be with me?"

She sighed loudly and crossed her arms. "Why would I want to be with you? You were a slimy little git who taunted me mercilessly and stood by and watched me be tortured by your lunatic of an aunt, while you did nothing. Not to mention the fact that I know you can't stand me or my kind. What I don't get is why you're still here at all. We're not friends, Draco. We never were and we never will be."

He studied her carefully. He could see the derision on her face and he knew he deserved that. And the truth was, he had no idea why he was sitting with her trying to make conversation. If any of his old friends could see him now he'd never hear the end of it. And if God forbid his father knew, he'd have a conniption fit. But something about Hermione Granger had always gotten under Draco's skin. He always hated her, but he respected her too. She never put up with any of his bullshit and never cowered in fear of him. In fact she'd done just the opposite. She always stood up to him and even punched him in the face once. That was the day he realized that he actually liked this girl because she wasn't like anyone else he'd ever known. But he could never tell her that. Or tell anyone else. They'd never understand. And it's not as if he could have just waltzed up to the Gryffindor table and sat down with her and had a real conversation. Potter and Weasley would have killed him. And all his friends would have thought he'd gone mad or been confunded or slipped some kind of potion that made people crazy. So he kept his distance mostly. Unless of course he was taunting her. But he only did it so she'd pay attention to him. It was the only way he could interact with her at all without it posing a problem. But it was different now. They weren't at Hogwarts. There was no Slytherin table and Gryffindor table. There were just two people having coffee in a regular coffee shop where no one knew who they were.

"I'll leave if you really want me to," he said finally.

"Yes, I really want you to," she told him sternly.

"Fine. I'm sorry to have bothered you." He stood up and walked towards the door. Then he turned around. "Maybe I'll see you around sometime." And then he left.

Hermione had no idea what had just happened. She was confused why Draco was being nice to her when he never was before. She knew that people could change, but why would he change? She knew he wasn't completely evil and had actually tried to help them out once by refusing to identify Harry when the snatchers brought them to Malfoy Manor. She knew he knew it was Harry. He wasn't daft. And he knew that her and Ron were with him so it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the mangled up looking boy they were showing him was Harry. But that didn't make Draco a hero. It just made him slightly redeemable in that instance. It certainly didn't make her want to be friends with him though. She didn't understand what had come over him. Maybe he was just lonely? After all he was alone in a strange city surrounded by Muggles. Maybe he was just relieved to see another magical person and he figured they could bond over the good old days at Hogwarts. Except for that he was supposed to hate her. And they had no fond memories of each other. What would they bond over? The time he tried to kill Dumbledore or the time she threatened to curse him and punched him in the nose? She shook her head to try and dispel all thoughts of Draco Malfoy. She wanted to get back to her book. She just hoped she did not see him around like he said she might. She didn't want to see his face again.

The days ticked by and Hermione visited her favorite coffee shop nearly every day. And every time she was there, he would be there too. He wouldn't talk to her, but he would sometimes look her way and smile. She just looked away and pretended not to notice him. But it was getting old. Was he stalking her? Was this some sort of evil plan of his? What did he want from her? One day, three weeks after their first encounter, she'd had enough. She got up from her table and sat down at his table. She slammed her book down in front of him with fire in her eyes.

"What the hell are you doing, Malfoy?" she asked angrily.

"What do you mean? You said to leave you alone and I'm leaving you alone," he told her innocently.

"Yeah, but you keep coming in here precisely when you know I'll be here. And then you just stare at me. It's weird and confusing and I just don't know what you want from me."

"I don't want anything from you. I just thought maybe if you saw me enough your hardened shell of armor would dissolve and maybe you'd eventually find me charming enough to talk to," he explained with a slight smirk.

"Charming? You think stalking me is charming? Have you ever even had a girlfriend, Draco?"

"Of course I have. What do you take me for? A eunuch? I've had lots of girlfriends."

"And is this how you woo them? Follow them around and stare at them across crowded coffee houses for weeks on end?"

"No. Normally I don't have to do anything. Girls just like me," he shrugged.

"Well aren't you humble," she laughed incredulously.

"It's true. I mean I used to be somebody. Besides, I never said I was trying to _woo_ you. I'm just having coffee," he picked up his cup and showed it to her before he took a scalding sip.

"Why do you have to come to _my_ coffee house then? There are loads of others."

"This isn't _your_ coffee house. It's a public place. I can be here if I want to. And besides, it worked," he said slyly.

"What worked?"

"You finally stopped ignoring me and here you are at my table. So maybe I'm a little bit charming after all." He put his hands behind his head and smirked at her.

"Charming my arse. I just got sick of you always being here. It's distracting. This is where I come to relax and I can't do that with you watching me all the time," she explained heatedly.

He just looked at her for a moment then he laid his hands on the table and leaned over to her. "So are you still going out with the Weasel or has that fizzled itself out? I don't imagine he visits Muggle London all that often."

She groaned. "Again, his name is Ron, not Weasel. And I don't see how it's any business of yours. And stop trying to change the subject."

"I was just curious. I mean I always thought you and Potter were the hot item, so imagine my surprise when I heard you hooked up with the Weasel. I mean Ron. Whatever you want to call him. I gotta say, I can't see the two of you together. You and Potter? Sure. I mean he is the Chosen One after all. But Ron Weasley? Honestly you could do better," he said examining his nails and never looking her in the eye.

"You really thought Harry and I were together? That's ludicrous. And Ron happens to be a perfectly wonderful person. You have no idea what you're talking about. You don't even know him. He happens to be quite amazing. And to answer your question, yes, we're still together."

"How does that work when you're here and he's elsewhere doing whatever it is he's doing. I think I heard he was running a joke shop. Is that true? Suits him. I mean, he is a bit of a joke."

"I see Ron often enough. And he's not a joke. And if you call this charming, then obviously your parents never taught you the meaning of the word. Insulting my boyfriend isn't going to get you into my good graces," she told him with annoyance.

He leaned closer to her. "Then what will get me in your good graces? Should I beg? Should I grovel? Should I stand on a table and apologize profusely for all my wrongdoings?"

"That would be a good start," she said with a slight smile. "I'd actually pay to see you groveling and standing on a table in the middle of a crowded café."

He sat back and laughed. "Never gonna happen." Then he turned serious as he looked her in the eye. "I am sorry though. For everything. I know I'm a right bastard and don't deserve forgiveness from you or anybody. But I am trying. I gave up my whole life to come here and try and start over. I was just a stupid kid with a huge ego and no idea what the hell I was doing. I thought I wanted to be powerful and feared, like my father. But it turns out that in the end he wasn't so powerful or feared at all. He was just a puppet. And so was I. Did you know Voldemort took my fathers wand away? He didn't stand a chance. And if I didn't do what I was told, neither did I. So you can continue to hate me for everything I've done, but I've changed. I'm not like that anymore. If I was, I wouldn't be here. I'd be back at home trying to build back our reputation. And instead I came here. To be anonymous. To have a new life. And frankly, you're not making it easy for me."

"Why should I make it easy for you? You never made anything easy for me," she pointed out.

"I just thought maybe the great Hermione Granger would be more forgiving."

"I am forgiving. When someone deserves it. But I'm not convinced you do."

"What do I have to do to prove it?"

She thought for a moment then shook her head. "I have no idea. But you have to stop following me. It's just creepy."

"Well if I stop doing that, then how will I see you again?" he asked her.

"Why do you _want_ to see me again?"

"I thought you were supposed to be smart."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She crossed her arms and glared at him.

"It's quite obvious that I'm desperately trying to make friends with you now, whether you like it or not. And I can't very well do that if I never see you again."

"Why do you want to be friends with me now? I'm still beneath you, aren't I? I'm still just a mudblood after all."

"I don't use that word anymore. You're a witch. A very talented and brilliant one, I might add. And that's all that matters. If I still hated Muggleborns do you think I'd surround myself with Muggles every day and pretend to be one?"

She had to think about that long and hard. He had a point. Obviously he wasn't shouting out the rallying cry for pureblood wizards or off killing Muggles in his spare time. He was living as one. And the Draco Malfoy she knew would never stoop to such a level. Maybe he really had changed?

She sighed. "Alright. If you want to be my friend, you can be my friend. But tell me one thing. Am I your only option? Is that what this is about? Or do you have other friends still?"

He hated to admit this to her, but it was the truth. "I have no friends, Hermione. But I'm not here because you're my only option. I'm here because I want to put right something I fucked up years ago."

"What's that?"

"Hating you for all the wrong reasons."

"Well I hated you for all the right reasons," she said pointedly.

"I know you did. But give me a chance. You never know, you might even find you like me," he said hopefully.

"I think that's doubtful, but I'll give you a chance. But one more crack about Ron and I'm turning you into a ferret again," she said with a sly grin on her face.

"You crazy bint. You wouldn't dare," he laughed.

"Oh yes I would. And then maybe I'd keep you for a pet. So you better watch yourself."

He held up his hands. "Okay, okay. I promise to be nice."

"Good. As long as we understand each other."

"Perfectly well," he nodded. "Now would you like another cup of coffee? I'm buying."

"I thought you had no money and that it was all your fathers? Do you actually have a job?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

He laughed heartily. "A job? Please. You're killing me. My mum gives me money. She just doesn't tell my father because he doesn't approve of my exile into the Muggle world. But Mum? She'd never let me live in poverty or squalor."

"Mama's boy," she said jokingly.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"I am not! Just because my mother loves me and I love her doesn't make me a mama's boy."

"She saved Harry's life you know," Hermione uttered softly.

"Yeah, I know. She lied to Voldemort and said he was dead. She told me all about it."

"She did it for you."

"I know. Why do you think I love her so much?" he said plainly.

Hermione had no answer for that one. She wouldn't count Narcissa Malfoy as one of her favorite people, but she couldn't deny that the woman loved her son above all else. At least that was something to admire about her.

Finally Hermione spoke. "I don't need another cup of coffee. I was just leaving anyway."

"When will I see you again? Do you want to have lunch sometime?" he asked her tentatively.

"Lunch? With you?"

"Well you said we could be friends. And isn't that what friends do? I know a nice little place. Do you have a phone?" he asked.

"A phone?"

"Yes, a phone. Neat little Muggle contraption. Easier than sending an owl, which might look a bit suspicious in the middle of London."

"Yes, I have a phone. Do you?"

"Of course. Now give me your number and I'll call you."

"Fine."

She rattled off the digits and he wrote them down on a napkin with a pen she had in her purse. She just stared at him writing and wondered what the hell she was doing giving him her phone number. But what would the harm be really? She could always just not answer. That was one way to avoid him. But part of her didn't really wish to avoid him. She was curious about him. At least this new him he was presenting her with. She didn't have much curiosity about the boy she once knew. But he seemed so different now. Much more human.

Once he put the number in his pocket, he just stared at her again. It made her uncomfortable.

"So then, I'm going to be going now. I have to get to work," she told him quickly.

"Work? Where do you work?"

"I'm not telling you," she said with a small laugh. "If I did, no doubt you'd show up there all the time too."

"No I wouldn't."

"Yes, you would."

"Alright so maybe I'd stop by. But it depends on where you work. Do you flip burgers at a greasy spoon? Serve up fish and chips somewhere?" he asked with a grin.

"No, of course not. I think I can get a better job than that," she laughed.

"Let me take a guess," he offered. "Hmm, where would Hermione Granger work? A library?"

"Close, but no."

"A book store?"

She was irritated that he guessed correctly, but he still had no idea which one. And she wasn't going to tell him.

"I'll see you later, Draco," she said refusing to confirm or deny his guess.

"Later Hermione," he said as he watched her grab her purse and her book and depart the coffee shop hastily.

He wasn't sure what he was doing exactly. Or why he'd been following her to this coffee shop for three weeks. It was ridiculous. But something about the way she hated him so much, made him that much more determined to show her that he'd changed. Draco wasn't used to not getting whatever his little heart desired. Be it a new broomstick or a girl. Whatever he wanted, he just got. But he knew times were different now. He didn't have much need of a new broomstick and this girl wasn't giving him the time of day. Which made her that much more appealing. He didn't much care if she had a boyfriend or not. It wasn't like he was really looking to date her. He just wanted to talk to her. It would be like having a bit of his old world back, without actually having to return and face everyone else. Of course it would have been easier if he'd run into a fellow Slytherin instead of Gryffindor's princess. He might still have some weight to throw around if it was someone else. But somehow he doubted it. None of his old friends were speaking to him anymore. And his old girlfriend Pansy laughed in his face when he tried to get back with her. Not that he cared much. He didn't love her. She was just a girl he passed the time with. But it still stung when she rejected him and told him that she wanted nothing to do with him anymore.

And it wasn't because he chose wrongly which side to be on during the war. It was that he never chose a side at all. Sure, he was aligned with Voldemort and the Death Eaters, but he was a coward. He didn't want to be with them. He hoped they lost. He wanted life to go back to normal. He didn't want Harry to die. And he certainly didn't want to kill Dumbledore. But he had no choice but to act like he was on their side and do their bidding. In the end he failed at even that. He couldn't kill Dumbledore. He couldn't kill anyone. He just wanted to hide and wait for it all to end. He liked to talk big, but he wasn't a fighter. Sure he _could_ fight. He knew a lot of powerful dark magic. And light magic. He was very skilled. But he didn't want to fight or choose a side. The reality of actual war and death and fighting made his stomach turn. He was actually relieved when it was revealed that Harry wasn't dead. That meant his possible salvation and perhaps he wouldn't have to be a servant to Voldemort anymore. But he never anticipated the animosity his family would get in the aftermath. They were branded either cowards or traitors. The former Death Eaters who were punished looked down on them for escaping their own punishment. And the people on the other side didn't think they should be allowed to be free. They didn't fit in anywhere. There was no old life to go back to.

Draco was invited back to Hogwarts to finish out his last year, but he declined. He didn't want to see that place again. And he knew he wouldn't be welcome there anyway. So he had decided to leave. His father had been against it from the very beginning, urging Draco to stay and help rebuild the family business and help untarnish their name. But he didn't want to do that. His mother wanted him to meet a nice pureblood girl and get married and have babies. But he told her he was way too young and had no mind to be married or have kids. He was still a kid himself. He was not even twenty yet and he wanted to live his life free of the burdens his family put upon him. And after what happened with Voldemort and being forced to take the Dark Mark, he swore he'd never do another thing that his parents told him to do. Which was a good thing, because they'd not approve of his fascination with Granger. They'd be horrified. But he didn't much care what they thought. He knew his mother would never disown him for associating with someone not of pureblood status. But she would be disappointed. But it's not as if he was going to marry this Granger girl. He just wanted to know her. To speak to her. To spend time with her. He had no idea why. But maybe it was so she could teach him how to be a real person and not a pompous git. The last thing he wanted to be was like his father. And he used to idolize him. But now he saw how wrong he was. Living as a Muggle was interesting to him. They had all sorts of things he'd never even seen. Like computers and telephones and a television. And if you wanted to write something down you didn't need a parchment and a quill. You could use a notepad and a pen. Much easier really. Why did his family hate Muggles so much? He suspected it was because they were smarter than a lot of wizards and witches. They had science and technology. Things he knew nothing about, but was learning. Not that he didn't enjoy magic. He did. He loved it. But he didn't see why a person couldn't live in both worlds quite happily.

**Feedback is appreciated! I hope you'll continue reading along! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

Hermione was standing at work at the register waiting for a customer, lost in her idle thoughts, when the phone rang. She picked it up.

"Lucy's Book's and Baubles," she said in greeting.

"Ah, yes, I was wondering if you carried a certain book," the voice on the other end asked.

"We might. What book is it you're looking for?"

"The History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot."

Hermione looked around to make sure no one was listening to her. "Who is this?"

"Who do you think?" Draco smiled into the phone.

"How did you find me?" she wanted to know.

"I called around every book shop in town until someone finally told me you worked here."

"Are you mad? What is your damage? You can't just call me up at work and ask for a book like that. What if someone heard you?"

"Am I on speaker phone?"

"No."

"Well then who would hear me? I was just messing with you."

"Well I'm sorry but we don't carry the book you're looking for. You might try Diagon Alley," she said coolly.

"It's alright, I already have a copy. Boring as hell, that bloody book," he laughed slightly.

"What is it you really want then?"

"I said I'd call you and take you to lunch. What time is your break?" he asked her.

"I thought you'd ring my home phone and not track me down at work like a ruddy bloodhound."

"I like to surprise you. Now when is your break? I hope it's soon because I'm at a payphone outside," he told her.

"You're what? Outside? Here?"

"Yes."

She sighed loudly into the phone. "I get off in ten minutes. But I only have an hour."

"That's long enough. I'll be outside waiting." Then he hung up and left her holding the phone.

She was getting fed up with his stalkerish tendencies. Why wouldn't he just leave her alone? She thought herself rid of him when he stopped coming to the coffee shop and she hadn't heard from him in a week. But apparently he was too busy trying to track down her place of work to get coffee or ring her up properly.

When her break time came, she headed for the door. She saw him outside leaning against a lamp post playing with his hair. He was trying to smooth it down and get the fringe out of his eyes. He looked good, she had to admit. He had grown up to be quite handsome, despite his personality. At least he wasn't slicking his hair back with grease or whatever he used to use when he was a boy. He looked ridiculous to her then. But now, now he was handsome. And she really wished she hadn't just thought that to herself.

"I'm here. So where are we going?" she asked him, surprising him slightly. He jumped and immediately stopped messing with his hair.

"Uh, there's a place down the street. A nice pub. They serve amazing fish and chips. And beer."

"Beer? I can't have beer. I'm working."

"Well I'll have the beer and you can just watch me," he smirked. "Come on, let's go."

He started walking and she followed him along. She was nervous for some reason, and she had no idea why. I guess it was just because of the company she was keeping. If Ron knew she had lunch with Draco Malfoy he would burst an artery. But it's not as if it were a proper date. It was just lunch with an old friend. Or rather enemy. They weren't friends. But he said he wanted to be now, so that's what she was going to do. Have a friendly lunch with a former Death Eater who tried to kill her old Headmaster. Nothing weird about that, she laughed to herself.

"What's funny?" he asked her.

Startled, she hadn't realized she laughed out loud, she just stared at him. "Nothing. Nothing's funny. Except I was just trying to imagine what Ron would think if he saw me with you."

"Ron eh? Is he the jealous type then?" he asked curiously.

"You have no idea. He can be quite possessive. But I think he'd be okay if I were having lunch with anyone else but you."

"He always hated me. Even more than Potter hated me, I think," he said wistfully.

"Well could you blame him? You were always incredibly rude and insulting of his family. And him. Of course he hated you."

"I'd kind of like to see his face right about now myself. Why don't we send him an owl and ask him to join us?" he offered sarcastically.

"As if. Just keep walking. I thought you said this place was close by."

"It is. It's right over here," he pointed.

They walked up to the pub and he actually rushed to open the door for her. She just stared at him like he had three heads and then she walked in before him.

"A table for two, please," Draco said politely to the hostess. "Over by the fish tank if you have something," he added.

"Right this way."

They followed the woman to a nice cozy table next to a large fish tank filled with tropical fish and little plastic mermaids.

"I like this table because the fish tank reminds me of the black lake at school. Minus the giant squid," he remarked to her with a smile.

"It is a nice table. And I love fish and sea creatures. Minus the giant squid."

"You love sea creatures, eh? Like dolphins and whales and some shit like that?" he asked her curiously.

"Yes. Once my parents took me on a whale watching tour and we saw loads of whales and dolphins and flying fish. It was fantastic. You know my patronus is an otter," she told him casually.

"Your patronus? Interesting. Why an otter?"

"I don't know. I think they're cute. It just happened. I didn't have control over what it became," she shrugged. "Do you have a patronus?"

He looked at her for a moment then shook his head. "I've never been able to do that. In fact I've only tried a few times then I gave up. What do I need a patronus for anyway, right? There aren't any dementors in London."

"True. But I'd be curious what it would be. What do you think it'd be?" she asked placing her hands under her chin and looking at him curiously.

"A snake? I don't know. Maybe a dragon? Something cool like that."

"Maybe a ferret?" she offered with a sly grin.

"Shut your bloody mouth, woman. It would not be a fucking ferret," he laughed at her. "I still can't believe that maniac Moody turned me into a bloody ferret in front of the whole school."

"Well in his defense, you deserved it. And also, it wasn't the real Professor Moody anyway. It was an imposter. But I have to say that was probably the best day of my life when that happened," she grinned at him. She loved tormenting him.

"Yeah, well I'm glad you enjoyed it. At least I know I entertained you at least once during our Hogwarts years."

She just picked up her menu and studied it carefully. She didn't want to look in his eyes for some reason. It made her uncomfortable. Especially when she realized what a pretty silver grey color they were. She'd never looked in his eyes before. She'd never seen them sparkle the way they were doing now as he looked at her.

"So what are you going to get?" she asked trying to break the silence.

"The usual. Fish and chips. That's what this place is known for. Although I hear the Sheppard's pie is quite lovely."

"I don't like that. I think I'll just get what you're getting."

They ordered and Draco enjoyed a mug of beer while Hermione had iced tea. She fiddled with her straw absently, trying to avoid his gaze. Then she looked up at him.

"So if you don't have a job, what is it you do all day? Besides stalk me, that is?" she asked him.

He took a big gulp of beer and shrugged. "I sometimes read. Or watch the telly. Or I go for walks. There's a bloke who lives across the hall from my flat and sometimes he comes over and we get really drunk and I do magic for him. Then the next day he thinks he imagined it all. It's quite hilarious actually," he laughed. "I know I shouldn't be doing it, but the boy is usually half stoned by the time he comes over anyway. He didn't think twice when I made the sofa start talking to him and telling him to chug his beer. You should have been there. It was great."

She couldn't help herself from laughing. "You're terrible. You could get in big trouble for doing magic in front of Muggles."

"Who's gonna tell on me? You?"

"No of course not. It's just, you should be careful. The Ministry would love to get you for something. Don't give them ammunition."

"It's nice of you to worry for me, but I have it handled. It's just a spot of fun, that's all."

"So then you do have a friend. Besides me."

"I wouldn't really call him a friend. I mean, he knows nothing about me. He just likes to come to my place and drink. And I let him because it's no fun drinking alone. Believe me, I've done quite a lot of that."

"I've done some solo drinking myself. It's a bit depressing actually," she admitted quietly.

"You drink? And alone? I never would have guessed it. What do you drink? Firewhisky?"

"Hardly. I can't stand that stuff. I drink wine. It's rather nice at first, but sometimes I drink the whole bottle and then I end up crying."

He looked at her seriously. "Crying about what?"

She shrugged and tried to wave it away. "Oh I don't know. Just everything. Life. Love. The past. Sometimes I have nightmares."

"I have nightmares every night. But I'm used to them now," he told her as he took another sip of his beer.

"What are the nightmares about?" she asked him.

"What are yours about?"

"I asked you first."

"I suspect you could guess what they're about. Probably the same ones you have. Sometimes I have nightmares about you," he admitted softly.

"About me? What about me? Me turning you into a ferret?" she teased, trying to lighten the mood slightly.

He shook his head. "No, about you lying on the floor of my house screaming while my aunt tortured you. The way she cut you up. The way I was sure she was going to kill you and all I could do was sit and watch," he told her softly. "But sometimes, sometimes in the dream I save you. I kill Bellatrix and I pick you up and I apparate us out of there. So you see sometimes I do save you. But only in my dreams. Not when it counted."

Hermione had no idea what to say to that. She felt tears prickling at her eyes and she did not want them to fall. She did not want him to know that his words got to her. She held back her emotions as best she could.

"Why didn't you save me then?" she whispered.

"Because I couldn't. I was afraid." What he really was, was a coward. And he knew that. But he didn't want to say it out loud.

"I sometimes dream of that day too. And sometimes in the dream, you laugh at me while I'm screaming. Everyone's laughing. Even Harry and Ron. And then I wake up feeling very alone."

"Why would Harry and Ron be laughing at you? They love you. They'd die to save you. You know that."

"I know. But sometimes I just feel like I've moved away from them. I mean, I _have_ moved away from them. I'm here and they're not. And it was my choice. And even if I still see them all the time, it's not the same. We aren't really the Golden Trio anymore. I walked out on them," she said wiping a tear out of her eye. She couldn't stop the emotions this time.

He reached over and wiped the tear for her. She jumped a little, startled at his gentle touch. But then she just let him wipe her tears.

"Don't cry. They still love you. And you know you'll go back and it'll be just like old times. At least you have something to go back for. I never had friends. I had lackeys. It's not the same."

"No it's not the same," she agreed. Then she looked at him sadly. "How terribly lonely you must have been back then. I never realized it. Nor did I care. But you must have been lonely."

He bristled at her pity, even if it was the truth. But he drew his hand away from her and took another gulp of his beer.

"Don't feel sorry for me now, Granger. I don't need your pity. My life was good. Maybe it was different than yours, but I was happy. For a time. I had it all."

"Everything except what you wanted the most."

"And what was that?"

"Love."

He just stared at her and said nothing. She had hit way too close to home and he didn't like it. The things she was doing to him, and the things she was making him say. He didn't understand it. Why was he sharing so much of himself with her? It made no sense. And he hated that she could see through him so easily.

"Why don't we talk about something else. Like anything else at all. I don't like this conversation. It just brings up old wounds," he said somewhat stiffly.

"Alright. What else should we talk about? The weather? It has been unseasonably warm lately."

"I hadn't noticed."

"Well it has been."

Then there was silence. Deafening silence. Neither one of them knew what to say next. It was the most awkward moment Hermione could remember. She knew it would be a bad idea to share a meal with Draco. They had nothing to talk about. Nothing except painful memories that neither one of them really wanted to relive. Finally Draco broke the silence.

"So do you want to get married?" he asked her out of the blue.

"What?" she looked at him with shock.

"Relax Granger, I didn't mean to me. I meant to your boyfriend. You gonna marry him?"

She relaxed slightly and then shrugged. "I don't know. It's not as if he's asked me. Plus we're awfully young. I know his parents want us to, but I don't know. I haven't really considered it actually. Why would you ask me that?"

"I don't know. I was just curious. I didn't know how serious you were about him. What with you living apart and all."

"He wasn't happy I wanted to live on my own for awhile, but he got over it. He knew it was something I needed. He wanted me to live with him. But I just wasn't ready. He's a bit jealous that Harry and Ginny are shacking it up together. He wishes that was us."

"Why do you suppose you weren't ready to live with him? I mean, you love him, right?"

"Right. Of course. It's just, I needed time to be by myself. I've never been on my own before. I wanted to be free."

"But you're not really free if you're still seeing him," he pointed out.

"It's complicated. I see him on weekends. And we sometimes get together during the week if he's not too busy. But I still have my freedom."

"My mum wants me to get married. She wants me to find a girl, preferably one of her choosing, and settle down and have babies. She doesn't understand that this isn't 1950 anymore. People don't get married this young. But she seems to think I should. In fact she picked out a girl for me already," he admitted to her.

"She did? Who?"

"Astoria Greengrass."

"Never heard of her."

"Neither have I. That's the problem. But apparently her family is well to do and actually willing to allow a Malfoy into their graces. She bugs me about taking her out, but I refuse to do it."

"Well maybe you'd like her?" she offered.

"Maybe? I don't know. It's not where my head is at. I mean, marriage and children? It's all terribly grown up and mature and frankly right now I'd rather just get drunk and shag the next bint who walks through the door."

They both looked towards the door and noticed a plump old woman walk in with her equally plump husband. Hermione giggled a little and looked at Draco.

"She's really hot. Go for it, stud. Shag her brains out. I dare you," she told him, trying to stifle her laughter.

"Please shut up. I was speaking metaphorically. I'm not shagging someone who looks like my great aunt Millie."

"Oh come on now. I'm sure she'd be a real firecracker in the sack."

"I bet you would be too," he said before he could stop himself. He had no idea why he just blurted that out. He actually felt himself turning red and that's not something that ever happened to him.

"What did you just say?" Hermione asked him, taken aback.

"Nothing. I said nothing."

"Yes you did say something and how dare you presume what I would be like…as if you'd ever know," she said crossing her arms.

"I was just joking. Believe me, I know I'll never know. But a man can imagine," he smirked at her.

She looked at him aghast. "Stop imagining it! I don't want you imagining _that_. That's just rude."

"What can I say? I'm a bad, rude man. And don't tell me that you've never wondered what it'd be like to shag someone like me."

"Honestly, I can't even believe you. I don't think of shagging anyone but Ron."

"Is he really that good?" he asked with a smirk.

"It's none of your business." The truth was she had thought of shagging other people. But they were just thoughts. She'd never act on them. And she'd certainly never dream of jumping into bed with Draco Malfoy. Never in a million years.

"You always say things are none of my business but friends talk about stuff like this."

"They do not. I don't tell Ginny about the things I do with her brother because I don't want her to throw up and die."

"Yeah, on second thought, I don't want to hear about what you and the Weasel do either. I might throw up and die too," he told her.

"His name is not the Weasel! I warned you about that," she reminded him.

"Alright, alright. I'll shut up. But it's mighty fun to watch you get your knickers in a twist talking about 'inappropriate' things. I should have known you were a bit of a prude."

"I am not a prude. I happen to be quite un-prude like. But I don't want to discuss these things with you."

"You're no fun."

"I'm plenty of fun."

"Then relax a little. You're too tense. Maybe you need a drink after all."

She looked at him and then looked at the last of his beer. She grabbed the mug up and drank it all the way down. Then she signaled the waitress to bring another. Work be damned. She was going to have a beer and prove to Draco that she wasn't some stuck up tight ass with no sense of fun. He didn't know anything about her. She wasn't really like that. Except she was like that. And she hated it. She wanted to be like other girls. She was tired of being boring old Hermione who cared about nothing but homework and studying and burying her nose in a book. She said she wanted to be free to find herself, and yet she hadn't done anything of the sort. But Draco brought it out of her. She had no idea why. Maybe because he didn't give a shit about anything, so she felt like it was alright to act the same way?

After she finished the second beer, she realized she was late to get back to work.

"I should go," she said, noticing the time.

"But the party has just started. Tell them your sick. Tell them you came down with a case of dragon pox and won't be back for a week."

"Dragon pox? You do realize no one here has heard of dragon pox."

"Alright then tell them you have the flu. Or malaria. Or anything. Just don't leave. Stay here with me and drink some more," he pleaded with her.

She'd never called in sick or played hooky a day in her life. The rational part of herself told her not to do it, but the other part of herself told her to live a little. She was already late. She could just tell them she fell ill over lunch and had to go home. They'd never know. So she decided to do it. She'd call in sick. She got up to use the phone and came back to the table.

"My afternoon is now completely free," she announced to him proudly. "And you said I didn't know how to have fun."

"Whoa you are a rebel, Granger. Calling in sick to work. What's next? Are you gonna take the Dark Lord's place and attempt to rule the world?" he asked with a satisfied grin on his face.

"Oh shut up, you prat. This might not be a big deal to you, but it is to me. I never do stuff like this. And I really want another beer. Maybe two more. Maybe we should order a pitcher?" she said, trying to signal the waitress again.

Draco just looked at her and smiled. She was definitely more than met the eye. He liked this side of her. She wasn't all boring and bookish and goody goody. She was funny and pretty and her eyes shone in a way they hadn't when they first met again at the coffee shop.

"You're beautiful, Hermione," Draco told her, after their fifth beer together. He wasn't thinking straight. Or talking straight.

She just slapped him on the shoulder and pushed him back. "Oh shut up. You're drunk. Even the old fat lady who walked in probably looks beautiful to you right now," she told him.

He grabbed her hands and held them. "I'm serious Merhione. You're beautiful."

She just laughed at him. "Merhione? You can't even say my name straight anymore. I'm cutting you off." She grabbed his beer, but he grabbed it back.

"Okay, so maybe I'm a little drunk, but it's true."

"Well thank you, but I'm still not shagging you," she told him seriously.

"I know, I know. I wouldn't dream of it. But I wonder how come I never noticed you were beautiful before?" he seemed really puzzled.

"Maybe because you never looked at me without a sneer on your face and your beer goggles on. I'm hardly beautiful. I'm just me. Plain and simple."

"Bollocks. Plenty of boys thought you were beautiful in school. You went out with Victor bloody Krum, for fuck's sake. He's a famous Quidditch player. He could have had any girl and he chose you. I thought he was mad. But maybe he was on to something."

"You need to stop talking. You're making a fool of yourself. So what if I went out with Victor? Maybe he likes smart girls?"

"That big lump? Nah, he likes pretty girls. And you're pretty. I guess I just never realized. Too busy hating you. What a shame," he shook his head and drank a little more.

"What's a shame?"

"That I never noticed. Maybe I would have asked you to the Yule Ball myself."

"Oh right. I'm sure that would have happened. And the next day I would have sprouted wings and flew off like a bloody hippogriff into the night sky. You never would have asked me out. And even if you did, do you think I would say yes?" she laughed at him.

"You said yes this time. I mean, look at us. Here we are together. Who would have thunk?"

"We aren't here 'together'. We're just sharing the same table in a pub. It's not a date," she said shaking her head.

"Not a date. Right. It's just two old enemies getting drunk and eating fish and chips."

"Exactly."

"What would you do if I kissed you right now?" he asked her dreamily.

"I'd punch you again."

"Wouldn't want that," he muttered. "Why would you punch me?"

"Because I have a boyfriend, remember?"

"But he's not here."

"So? He still exists. And anyway, you don't want to kiss me. You're just drunk and desperate. How long has it been since you've had a good shag?"

"Hey now, I thought we weren't talking about sex. You said you didn't talk about that sort of thing," he pointed out to her.

"Well _I_ don't talk about it, but you do. So how long has it been?"

"Too long."

"We need to find you a girl, Draco. There must be someone cute inside this pub," she said scanning the crowd.

"I don't want a girl. I just want more beer." He didn't want to admit to her that he really wanted her and no one else was going to do. The idea of shagging some nameless girl from a pub didn't appeal to him in the slightest. Right now, he only had eyes for the brunette in front of him. But he knew he had a better chance of becoming Minister of Magic than getting her into his bed. Stupid Ronald Weasley. Why did he have to exist? Him and his stupid ginger hair and his ugly jumpers. What did she see in a git like him anyway? He didn't understand it.

"Alright. We can have one more beer and then I should go home. And so should you. We're drunk," she giggled.

"Did you tell Weasley or Potter that you saw me here?" he asked curiously, suddenly wondering about that.

"No, of course not. Why would I tell them that?"

"I don't know. I just thought maybe you would."

She shook her head. "You wanted to escape, so why should I tell them where to find you, right?"

"They'd find me? Why? Are they looking for me? I thought I was in the clear?" he asked suddenly nervous.

"No they aren't looking for you. You're fine. It's just if they knew you were here, and I was here with you, then maybe it would prompt one of them to come looking. It's best if they don't know you're here."

"Right. Good. Cause I don't want them to know I'm here. Or anyone. Just you."

"Just me." She leaned forward towards him and whispered, "it's our little secret."

They finished off their last beer and Hermione insisted she had to leave. It was early evening now and they'd spent the entire afternoon drinking in that pub. She could barely walk and neither could Draco.

"At least let me walk you home," he told her when they got outside. "I can't bear the thought of you staggering in front of a double decker bus in the state you're in."

"I'll be fine. I'm not gonna walk. I'm gonna apparate," she told him with a big grin.

"Right here? Right in the middle of the street? You can't do that."

"No silly, not in the street. There's an alleyway right over here. When I'm feeling lazy, I duck into there on my way home from work and just apparate to my flat."

"A dark alleyway? Sounds dangerous. I should go with you."

"I'm fine," she said as she stumbled over her feet and smacked right into Draco, nearly knocking him over.

"I'm coming with you. I need to at least make sure you apparate into the correct flat. What if you drunkenly end up in Knockturn Alley or outer space for all I know."

"Outer space?" she laughed loudly. "You can't apparate into space."

"Well knowing you, you probably could. I'm just gonna make sure you get home okay, alright? Don't argue with me."

He took her arm and they stumbled along towards the alleyway she knew so well. She grabbed him and pulled him down the dark passage behind a dumpster.

"Here, hold onto me," she said grabbing his hand.

He took it and suddenly they were spinning and it was making Draco feel a bit queasy as they apparated right into the middle of her living room. He was dizzy and stumbled over backwards right onto her couch where Crookshanks was sleeping. He pulled himself up and looked at the cat.

"Bloody hell Granger, I think I broke your cat," he said giving it a glare as he noticed the smooshed up face of her beloved pet.

"Oh no, he always looks like that," she waved her hands in air.

"What on earth possessed you to buy such an ugly creature as this. Surely there were some nicer looking cats," he told her.

"Shut up. Crookshanks is perfect." She scooped him up in her arms. "Aren't you perfect, my little furball?" she cooed at the cat. Then she shoved him in Draco's face. "Crookshanks, meet Draco Malfoy. Remember? He's the one Mummy used to call ferret face and an evil cockroach."

"You told your cat about me?" he asked with an amused look on his face.

"Of course. I told Crookshanks everything. He was my furry little confidant. You'd be surprised the secrets he knows. Good thing he can't talk."

Draco's interest was peaked. "What sorts of secrets? Anything juicy?"

"Maybe?" she said slyly as she put the cat back down on the couch where he wanted to be. "Did you ever have a pet?"

"I had an owl. But I didn't talk to him like he was my fucking drinking buddy. He was a bloody owl. And why do you call yourself 'Mummy'? Did you give birth to that thing?" he asked jokingly.

"No I did not. It's just a thing. I'm his Mummy."

"Well he is ginger and I thought maybe another Weasley had entered this world. He's certainly ugly enough."

She smacked him hard across the chest and knocked him over onto the couch again.

"You, Draco Malfoy, are a bloody wanker. Did you know that?" she said to him with her hands on her hips.

"I've been told. By you, as it happens. Loads of times. But somehow I never tire of hearing it," he said with a smirk.

"If you had a girlfriend I wouldn't make fun of her. Except for Pansy. She looks like a pug. Did she bark a lot or chew on your furniture when you were together?" she asked smirking back at him.

"Pansy did not look like a pug," he said defiantly.

"Yes she did."

"No she did not. She was just a unique beauty."

"Unique? I'll say. I never understood what you were doing with her when there were much prettier girls around."

He sat up straight and looked at her. "I wasn't aware you kept up with my love life at all, Granger."

"I didn't. I just happened to notice you with her. It's not like you hid it from anyone."

"Well then who should I have gone out with then, if not Pansy the pug?"

"I don't know. What about Megan Birchfield? She was stunning. I was always jealous of her hair and how smooth it looked."

"Who the hell is Megan Birchfield?" he asked confused.

"She was a Hufflepuff."

"A Hufflepuff? Are you off your rocker? As if I'd go out with a bloody Hufflepuff. I can't even say the name without wanting to laugh," he told her as he shook his head.

"Well I'm sorry, but there weren't very many pretty Slytherin girls that I saw. Millicent Bulstrode? I mean come on. I thought she was Crabbe in a wig the first time I saw her."

Draco just looked at her and then he burst out laughing. He couldn't stop. She was right. And his laughter was contagious because Hermione started laughing and fell down on the couch next to him, holding her stomach.

"I can't breathe. Just the thought of Crabbe in a wig!" she giggled hysterically.

"Did you know I used to make Crabbe and Goyle take Polyjuice potion and turn into girls so they could be lookouts for me?" Draco asked. 

"Yeah, we figured that one out. I bet they loved you for that one."

"Oh they hated me. But they did it anyway. It was bloody hilarious. And ingenious, I might add. Potter never suspected."

"He eventually did. He's smarter than you think. He knew you were up to something," she told him seriously. "Besides you never suspected that Crabbe and Goyle were really Harry and Ron that one time."

He sat up straight and looked at her.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh you know, they were spying on you. They wanted to know if you knew who opened the Chamber of Secrets, so we made Polyjuice potion and drugged the real Crabbe and Goyle and they snuck into the dungeons and talked to you. And you were clueless!" she laughed.

"What the bloody hell did I say to them? I don't remember that."

"Of course you don't remember because you didn't know. I was supposed to go with them, but my Polyjuice potion had a slight mishap."

"A mishap?"

"Yeah. I sort of turned myself into a cat instead of a person like I was supposed to," she said quietly.

"A cat? You were a cat? Like Crookshanks here? Like an animangus?"

"No, not an animangus. I was a cat person. I had a tail and whiskers and ears. Oh it was dreadful. It took Madam Pomfrey weeks to fix me. I should have known better."

"You had a tail and whiskers?"

"Yes."

He burst out laughing again. She punched him hard on the arm.

"Ouch! Watch it. That's gonna leave a mark. Why do you enjoy hitting me so much?"

"Because you're a bastard. Stop laughing at me. It was an accident. I wasn't trying to turn into a cat."

"But you have to admit, it's really fucking funny. There you were, fixing to spy on me, and you turn yourself into a bloody cat. It's brilliant. Besides, I didn't know anything about the Chamber of Secrets anyway. It's not like you would have learned anything. I was just as curious as you lot were."

"Yeah, I know. At least now I do. But Harry was convinced you were the heir of Slytherin."

"I wish. I mean, not that I would have opened up the chamber. But at least it was a bit of excitement," he shrugged.

"Excitement? I was petrified. Literally. Like a bloody tree trunk. Did you think that was exciting?" she asked, suddenly getting angry and remembering who she was with.

"Relax. Don't get all pissy and what not. I didn't think it was funny you were petrified. I just meant some crazy shit was always happening at that school and it at least made it more interesting. Kept me awake during History of Magic at least."

"Well you wanna know what I thought was a bit of excitement? When Buckbeak tried to eat you. That was some crazy fun right there," she said haughtily.

"That stupid thing was a menace. It's a miracle it didn't kill me. At least you didn't almost die. You were just petrified. I could have been ripped to shreds," he told her just as haughtily.

"Please. You provoked that animal. You had it coming. And you pretended you were hurt way worse than you were. Everyone knew you were faking just to get attention and to get Buckbeak killed."

"I didn't care if they killed it. That was my father's idea. Besides I seem to remember the thing miraculously escaping it's execution. I know you and the wonder twins were behind that. But I couldn't prove it."

"Well you're right. We were behind it. Or at least me and Harry. Ron wasn't there. But we saved him and we saved Sirius Black."

"You are crazy, aren't you? I mean, why did you do all of this stuff anyway? Saving a hippogriff and a convicted felon all in one night? What was the point?"

"Haven't you ever done anything just because it was the right thing to do?" she asked him seriously.

He had to think for a minute but he came up empty. "Honestly, no. I prefer not to get involved in matters that don't concern me."

She stood up and walked away from him. "I should have known. Why would I expect you to have ever done something selfless? It's just not who you are."

He looked at her and suddenly felt very small. He wished he was heroic, but he wasn't.

"But maybe I could be that way now?" he told her softly.

"I don't think you have it in you."

"Maybe not. But maybe you're wrong too. Maybe I could do something good for someone else without getting anything out of it. People can change."

"Yeah, they can. Maybe it's not too late for you?"

"Maybe." He stood up from her couch. "I guess I'd better get going. I wanted you home safe, and here you are. So I best be on my way now."

She grabbed his arm. She didn't know why, it was just instinct. "No, stay. We could watch the telly. I have wine."

He smiled at her. "Not drunk enough yet?"

She shook her head. "My buzz is dying. I'll get the glasses. You just talk to Crookshanks while I'm gone."

He sat back down and looked at the cat. It stared at him with a look of curiosity. "I think your Mummy likes me more than she's willing to admit," he whispered to the cat. "What do you think?"

Crookshanks just yawned and closed his eyes. "So much for talking to a cat. I don't see the point," he muttered under his breath.

Hermione came back with the wine and two glasses. She set them on the table and proceeded to pour them both generous amounts of the red liquid. Draco picked up his glass and she did the same. They clinked them together.

"To my new drinking buddy. You're much prettier than the guy who lives across the hall from me," he toasted.

She just smiled and took a drink then placed the glass back on the coffee table. She turned on the television and sat back, scratching Crookshanks behind the ears.

"Your Mummy is crazy, you know that?" she whispered to the cat. She was crazy to be sitting there on the couch watching the telly and drinking wine with Draco Malfoy. But for some reason she just wanted desperately to give this broken man a chance. The chance he wanted. She had no idea why. It made no sense. But she couldn't seem to stop herself.

"Why are you crazy?" Draco whispered back to her, having heard what she said to the cat.

"For hanging out with you. I think I've gone barking mad."

"Why? Am I really that repulsive?"

"No, you're not." And that was the problem. He wasn't repulsive at all. In fact she found herself staring at him and seeing him in a new light. She found herself feeling things for him that she never would have dreamed. It wasn't just pity that she felt because he had no friends. She actually enjoyed his company. It was weird. But she felt like she could be herself with him. Not that she couldn't be herself with Ron, but he expected her to be a certain way. And maybe she just wasn't that girl anymore? She was growing up. She was different. And she wasn't sure if she and Ron fit together anymore. And that was not just because she was snuggled on the couch next to Draco. It was lots of things. The last times they were together, things were strained. He didn't like her being away and he didn't like her living alone. He wanted her to move into the Burrow and she refused. She loved his family like her own, but she just couldn't imagine herself living there with him. And maybe she couldn't imagine herself ever living with him. That thought upset her. They were supposed to be together. Everyone thought so. But now she wasn't so sure.

"What are you thinking about?" Draco asked her, as he noticed she wasn't paying attention to the telly.

"Oh nothing. I was just lost in my head a bit. It's a bit fuzzy with all this drink," she lied.

"We could switch to coffee?"

"Are you kidding? No way. I want to keep being fuzzy. It's a good feeling. But I am a bit bored. Maybe we should put on music?"

"Music? Like what kind?"

"Something upbeat. We could dance."

"Dance? Are you mad? I don't dance."

"Why not?"

"Because it's stupid."

"Oh come on. I wanna see Draco Malfoy dance his arse off. Really let loose. If you do, I promise I will too. We'll look like idiots together."

She got up and turned off the television and turned on the stereo. She pumped up the volume and started moving with the music. It was a song she knew, so she even sang along. Draco just stared at her and tried not to laugh.

"You, my dear, are a terrible singer. And you can't dance either," he said with a smirk on his face.

She threw a pillow at him and it hit him right in the face. He threw it back but she deflected it with her hands.

"Get up and dance or I'm coming over there and making you do it by force."

"You can't do that."

She opened up a drawer in the desk where she stood and pulled out her wand. She pointed it at him.

"Get up and dance or else I'll make you do it magically."

"There is no spell to make a person dance," he pointed out.

"How do you know? There could be. Do you know all the spells out there? Because I do."

"You do not."

"I do too. I read a lot."

"So then make me dance then. I dare you," he challenged her.

She shot a spell at him and he flew off the couch and hit a chair and knocked it over.

"That didn't look like dancing to me," he pointed out as he straightened himself up.

"But it got you off the couch, didn't it?"

"Fine, I'll dance. But it's going to be utterly ridiculous looking. And if you tell anyone you saw me dance…"

"Who am I gonna tell?"

"I don't know. Anyone."

"Just dance with me or else I'll turn you into a ferret again. I have my wand at the ready. It's your move."

He walked over to her and grabbed the wand out of her hand. He put it back in the drawer, and then he grabbed her up and pulled her to himself.

"Let's dance," he said gruffly, as he began moving with her to the music. He had to admit it wasn't a bad feeling. He was sure he looked like a complete moron but he didn't care. It's not as if anyone could see him. Plus he was pressing himself up against Hermione and she wasn't stopping him. In fact, he thought she was rather enjoying herself by the look on her face. At least she stopped singing. That was hard on the ears. But after awhile they got tired of dancing and fell back onto the couch.

"That was fun," she said breathlessly. "I haven't danced in ages."

"It was sort of fun I guess," he admitted begrudgingly.

She looked over at him and smiled. "You're really not half bad. At dancing that is. I'm still not sure if I like you or not."

"Well I've got time for you to come around," he told her slyly. "Besides I think you fancy me a little more than you'd like to let on."

She shoved him again. "I do not!"

"Do to."

"You are impossible."

He reached over and smoothed her messy hair out of her face and tucked a few strands behind her ear. She just looked at him. Really looked at him. And she realized she could get lost in those eyes. They were so deep and full of pain, but with a light behind them, just flickering to the surface. It made her heart ache. And when he leaned over to kiss her, she realized her body was aching for him as well. But she came to her senses and pushed him back.

"Don't do that," she told him sharply.

"Don't do what?" he feigned innocence.

"Don't kiss me."

"Why not? I know you want me to." He leaned over again, and she stood up.

"I think it's very late and we've both had a lot to drink. You should go home now," she said quickly. The truth was, she did want to kiss him. But that couldn't happen. She was with Ron. She had to keep control of herself. And she knew it was just the drink making her feel this way. It had to be. She was drunk and he was there. That's all it was. But it needed to end now.

He sat on the couch for a moment longer, then he sighed and stood up. He smiled at her. "Just when it was getting good and then you make me go."

"You know I'm with Ron."

"I know that."

"Then why would you try to kiss me?"

"Because I wanted to," he said plainly.

"Well if you want to be my friend, you'll have to control yourself. And for God's sake, go find another girl to fawn over. You'll feel better," she told him.

"Another girl, eh? If only it were that simple."

She wasn't quite sure what he meant, but she didn't ask. He just waved at her and disapparated from her living room. He didn't even say goodbye. She wasn't sure what to make of that. Or if it even mattered to her. She may never see him again. Maybe all he wanted to do was get her drunk and into bed and ruin her whole life. It could have been his evil plan from the beginning. Maybe he didn't even like her at all? It was a possibility. He certainly never liked her before. But something inside her told her differently. Could it be that he actually wanted her? It seemed preposterous. The entire notion of her and Draco even speaking to each other seemed preposterous, much less them spending evenings dancing and drinking and laughing with each other. She shouldn't see him again. Even if he wanted to. It wasn't right. The way she felt wasn't right. And if Ron knew, he'd never forgive her.

**Feedback is appreciated! I hope you'll continue to read along!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

Hermione had a day off and she had promised to come and have lunch with Ron. She hadn't heard from or seen Draco since the night at her apartment. She figured it was just as well. It was obvious he only had one thing on his mind and she wasn't going to fall into that trap. She should have known he didn't really want to be a friend to her. He just wanted to snog her and possibly worse. After all he admitted he was hard up. That would be the only reason he would hang around her. Even though she really did think it was different. At least for awhile. But now she was leaning towards him being a right bastard again and he was disappointed when he didn't get what he wanted from her. Even if she was totally drunk at the time. She still hadn't gone mental. She'd kept her wits about her. But she kept remembering how it felt to dance with him. Her body pressed up against his, moving to the rhythm. His arms were strong and his chest was muscular. Plus she distinctly remembered feeling a hard lump in his pants as he ground against her. She was no fool. He had been excited. And so was she, which is something she did not want to admit. The fact that Draco Malfoy could get her knickers wet made her want to throw herself off a bridge rather than admit it. But it had happened. It was just an involuntary reaction of her body and nothing more, she told herself. She had Ron and he was perfectly wonderful. Even if he didn't quite make her quiver with just his touch. There was more to love than just that.

When she apparated into Diagon Alley and saw Weasley's Wizard Wheezes she smiled. That's where Ron was and she was eager to see him. She walked into the store and was bombarded with people. The place was really doing well for itself and all the kids loved the place. Adults too. It was too bad Fred couldn't be here to see what a wonderful success his shop was. But Ron wanted to honor his memory and work there with George. Hermione wound through the crowd until she found Ron stacking boxes on a shelf. His eyes lit up when he saw her and she went running over to him. He gave her a big hug and a quick kiss.

"Blimey Hermione, you look great. I've missed you so much," he told her with a wide smile.

"I've missed you too, Ron," she smiled back. "Are you still going to be free for our lunch?"

"Yeah, yeah. George said it was fine. We've got some new employees so it's not just us anymore."

"Anyone I'd know?" she asked curiously.

"Nah, I don't think so. Listen, let me get my stuff together and we'll go."

"I'll wait here."

She stood in the shop just looking at the items on the shelves. She couldn't believe some of the things they came up with. When all of a sudden a pair of hands came around her face and covered her eyes.

"Hello pretty lady. Fancy running off with me and leaving your boyfriend in the dust?" he whispered into her ear.

Her first thought was Draco. She spun around and shoved him back and yelled, "Draco!"

George stood there looking at her curiously. It had been him who had done it and was just messing around. "Draco?" he asked curiously.

Hermione went red faced and sputtered out, "Oh, I'm sorry. George. I thought you were someone else."

"Yeah, Draco. Do you mean Malfoy? What the bleedin' hell would he be doing here?" he asked.

"Oh he wouldn't be. I don't know why I thought it was him. Maybe just because you surprised me and I know he likes to mess with me. Just forget it. How are you?" She tried to change the subject.

"I'm doing good. As well as I can be, anyway. Business is booming. I assume you're here to see my brother. He told me he had a hot date for lunch. Now you two better behave yourselves. No getting caught in the loo shagging each other's brains out," George laughed.

"Oh stop it! You're terrible. As if we'd do that. We do have some self control," Hermione blushed again.

"I'm just teasing you. But to hear Ron go on and on about how hard this separation is, don't count on him controlling himself," George winked at her.

Before she could answer him, Ron appeared. He had his bag with him and he put his arm around Hermione.

"Ready to go?"

"Yes, let's." And she mentally wondered if Ron really did expect them to do something crazy like shag in the loo of the restaurant. They'd never done anything like that before. Ron wasn't exactly the adventurous type when it came to things like that. But then again, neither was she. Maybe it would actually be fun to try that? She wondered if Ron would do it.

She shook all thoughts of that from her mind when he led her out of the shop. They walked along hand in hand while Hermione took in the atmosphere of Diagon Alley. She loved it here and missed it. But that didn't mean she was ready to come back yet. But she stopped at the window of the pet shop just to look at the owls and the cats in the window.

"You know, I always wanted an owl but I never got one," she remarked absently to Ron.

"No, you decided to get that ruddy cat instead."

"I love my cat. But maybe someday I'll get an owl too."

"Are you going to take it to London with you? Or are you finally coming back where you belong?" he asked her.

She looked at him and shrugged. "If I only let the owl out at night, no one would think it was strange."

"So then you're still not coming back?" he asked with disappointment.

"Ron, we've been over this. I'm not ready to be back here. But it's not forever. I promise. But right now I'm having fun," she explained.

"Fun huh? With who?"

She stopped short and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I just meant, have you made any Muggle friends? You never talk about people from London. I just wondered if you were making friends."

"Oh, well, yes. Sort of. I mean, I've made a few." She kept thinking of Draco and wondering why he hadn't contacted her. Were they friends? She didn't know really.

"Well that's good, I guess. I wouldn't want you to be all alone out there. I still don't get why you won't just move in with me," he said somewhat dejectedly.

"Because you live with your parents. And I don't want to live at the Burrow."

"We could get our own place. I've been saving up," he told her hopefully.

"Maybe we can. Someday. But for now, I'm happy the way it is. I love working at the bookshop."

He just sighed and put his arm around her. He wished she hadn't left. He didn't understand her need to escape. The war had been hard on all of them. Certainly on him. He'd lost his brother. He still wasn't over that, and he suspected he never would be. You don't get over something like that. But instead of running away from it all, he joined George and took Fred's place. Not that he could really take his place. He was a poor substitute. He didn't have the wit and charm his brother had. And half the jokes George expected him to finish for him went over his head. But he was still trying. He wished Hermione had at least tried to live a life there with them for more than a few months. He was afraid she was slipping away from him.

When they got to the restaurant, they sat down at a table and perused the menus. They ordered their food and just sat in silence as they waited for it to arrive. Something felt off. Hermione couldn't figure out what it was, but Ron seemed subdued, and she herself was very quiet. She kept thinking about her time with Draco and how much Ron would freak out if he knew. She felt guilty. She'd almost kissed another man. Ron's great enemy. But she had stopped it. She shouldn't feel guilty. And she probably wasn't ever going to see him again anyway. It shouldn't matter. So she decided to liven up the conversation.

"So Ron, George seemed to think that you missed me enough to take me to the loo and shag my brains out," she teased him with a sly smile.

Ron nearly spit out his drink and looked around to make sure no one heard her say that. "Hermione!"

"What? Is that such an odd idea? I mean we haven't seen each other in nearly two weeks."

"We can't do that. Someone might catch us," he whispered to her over the table.

"So what? It sounds like fun, doesn't it? Besides when would we get another chance?" she pointed out.

He looked around at all the other diners in the restaurant and shook his head. "It's a crazy idea."

"So you don't want to do it?"

"I don't know. Do you?"

She shrugged. "It might be exciting."

He looked at her curiously. This was not something she would ever suggest. In fact he was always the initiator of anything intimate. She never really made the first move. And she certainly never had suggested they go at it in a public place. "What's gotten into you?" he asked her quietly.

"Nothing. God, I just thought maybe you'd want to try something new."

"Is that what people do in London? Shag in the toilets of a restaurant?"

"How would I know? Just forget it. It was a stupid idea." She waved her hands in the air and went back to staring at the table.

Ron looked at her for a moment then he decided to throw caution to the wind. He took her hand and pulled her up. "Let's go," he urged her, as he pulled her through the restaurant.

"Ron, what are you doing?" she asked with surprise.

"You want to have fun, so we'll have fun. I just hope no one catches us," he said worriedly.

They stood at the bathrooms and he asked her, "Which one? The ladies or the men?"

"The ladies."

"Alright." He pushed open the door and dragged her inside. Luckily no one was there. Then he pushed open the stall door and pulled her inside. "Now what?" he asked as they stood there looking at each other.

"Well I suppose we just get down to it," she shrugged.

"Okay. There's not much room in here. And it's kind of disgusting. The floor is wet."

"Just shut up and kiss me," she urged him.

He did as he was told and things were good for awhile but when he tried to undo her pants, he couldn't get the buttons undone. Then he asked, "what do we do with your pants? This floor is disgusting."

"Just put them over the door," she urged him.

She undid them herself since he was inept and she pulled them off and slung them over the door. Ron just looked at her and had no idea how to proceed. "Do I pick you up?"

"Honestly Ron, have you ever had sex before?" she asked him with exasperation. This was supposed to be hot and sexy and forbidden and exciting and he was ruining it.

"You know I have seeing as you're the only one I've had sex with. But we've never done it standing up. Or in a filthy loo. I don't know what I'm doing!"

The magic was just lost. She pulled her pants back over the door and put them on. "Never mind. This was a stupid idea. I don't know what I was thinking," she told him with slight irritation in her voice.

"Oh come on, don't be like that. You just caught me by surprise is all. You've never wanted to do something like this before. It's weird," he told her.

"Weird? You think this is weird? It's not as if I asked you to spank me and call you Daddy."

"Hermione! Will you keep your voice down. What if someone walks in here?" Ron was very uncomfortable and confused at his girlfriends behavior. She wasn't acting like herself at all.

She just zipped up her pants and opened the door and stepped out. "Let's go back to the table. I'm famished. The food should be there by now."

He followed her wordlessly out of the bathroom and sure enough, their food was waiting. They dug in and neither one of them spoke. Hermione wasn't sure what she was doing exactly, but she wanted to know if being with Ron could feel half as exciting as it felt dancing with Draco. And sadly, it didn't live up to expectations. All she had done with Draco was dance and she felt like her body was on fire with lust. But with Ron, it was just clumsy and very un-sexy. She realized that all their sex was clumsy and boring and had never made her feel the way a simple dance had made her feel. She had no idea what to do with that information.

When they left the restaurant Ron suggested they go back to his place and try and finish what they started. She looked at him strangely.

"With your mother at home?"

"She won't know. We'll use the Muffilato charm."

"But she's always bursting in there offering us food or yelling at you for leaving socks on the stairs. We can't go there. Besides you have to get back to work, don't you?"

He hung his head down. "Yeah, I do."

"Well it's okay. Another time. Maybe you can come to my flat?"

"Alright," he said quietly, disappointed in their day. "I love you, Hermione."

She looked at him and smiled. "I love you too, Ron." She gave him a quick kiss. "I'll see you soon." And then she just disapparated away.

Her mind was swimming with thoughts she didn't want to be having. Being with Ron felt different now. She wasn't sure what happened. But he felt more like a brother than a lover. In fact, deep in her heart she knew he'd always felt that way when they were together. She loved him dearly, but she wasn't sure if it was the right kind of love. She loved Harry too. Immensely. But she couldn't imagine ever kissing him or falling into bed with him. It would seem very wrong and weird. And yet she had chosen Ron and thought they were a great romantic love. But maybe she just forced herself to think that? She wasn't sure. In fact, right now she wasn't sure of much. Except her thoughts kept running towards a certain blonde Slytherin and wondering what the hell he really wanted from her.

When she arrived in her flat she jumped back and screamed when she noticed someone sitting on her couch.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she shouted at Draco, who was sitting there like he owned the place.

"I just popped in for a visit and you weren't here. But Crookshanks told me I could wait," he said with a smirk, as he petted her cat who was purring contentedly.

"You can't just pop into my living room! What gives you the right? It's not polite to just apparate inside someone's house!" she screamed at him.

"Relax, I didn't think you'd mind. It's not a big deal. It's not as if you were lying naked on the couch when I got here."

"But I could have been!" she told him angrily.

He stood up and came over to her. "But you weren't. Sadly, I might add."

She pushed him back. "What do you want then? Since you're here, you might as well tell me what you want."

"I don't want anything. I called the book shop and they said it was your day off so I thought I'd see if you wanted lunch again."

She crossed her arms defiantly. "I've already had lunch. With Ron, as it happens. We spent the day together."

He looked at the clock on the wall and it was half past one. "Not a very long day," he pointed out.

"Well he had to go back to work. But we had a nice hour or so together. It was marvelous," she lied.

"Marvelous eh? Alright. Well since you've eaten already, we could do something else. A walk in the park, perhaps? It's a lovely day."

"A walk in the park?"

"Yeah, why not? I've nothing else to do. And since loverboy had to go back to work, rather than entertain you today, we might as well take advantage of the time."

She didn't know what to do. She wanted to say no, but part of her really wanted to say yes. What else was she going to do with her day? Read? That was boring. And lonely. And her date with Ron had been a stark disappointment to her. She could use some cheering up. She finally relented.

"Oh alright. The park it is. Let's go."

"I need to use your loo first. I'll be right back." He started walking towards the hall.

"How do you know where my loo is?"

"I had time to snoop around while you were gone," he smirked.

"You better not have snooped in my room, Draco!"

He just looked over his shoulder and gave her a grin. Of course he snooped in her room. Why wouldn't he. Not that he found anything interesting in there. She had boring knickers and no sex toys. He was quite disappointed.

While he was in the bathroom she just sat on the couch and petted her cat absently. Then all of a sudden there was a cracking sound and Ron appeared in her living room. She jumped up.

"Ron! What the hell are you doing here?" she asked quickly.

"I thought about what you said about visiting your flat, and I figured I'd just ask for the day off and surprise you. I know you were disappointed about the bathroom thing," he explained to her.

"I wasn't disappointed. Really. It's okay. You should go back to work," she said grabbing him and trying to shove him towards the door.

"Hermione, what are you doing?"

"Nothing. It's just I was busy and I already made plans, so you'll have to go."

"But I don't want to go. I want to give you that good time you asked for," he said with a sly smile as he pulled her close to him.

She wriggled out of his grasp. "I have to pee!" she practically shouted. And then she ran towards the bathroom. Ron started to follow her, heading for the bedroom but she stopped him.

"No! Stay here. I'll be right back."

She ran to the bathroom and knocked softly on the door. "Draco?" she whispered, praying Ron would not hear her. He didn't answer. She knocked again and said his name a little more loudly. He opened the door and she immediately pounced on him and shoved him back into the room and shut the door.

"Well, well, love. This is more like it," he cooed as he ran his hands over her back and attempted to pull her closer. She shoved him back.

"Shut up! Listen to me. Ron is here. You have to leave. You can't come out of here."

"Weasel's here? Why is he here? I thought he was working?" he said with obvious disappointment and disdain in his voice.

"He took the bloody day off when he thought I was disappointed in our date. He wants to make it up to me."

"Well get rid of him. We have plans. You said you'd go to the park with me," he reminded her.

"I can't get rid of him. He's my boyfriend. He'll be suspicious."

"Well I'm not leaving." Draco crossed his arms and stood his ground.

"Oh my god, you are ridiculous. Just get out of here," she urged him.

"No. Make him leave. I was here first."

"Stop being a prat! Just go. We'll go to the park another time."

Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Hermione? Who are you talking to in there?" Ron asked through the door.

"No one!"

"I can hear you talking. Is someone in there?"

"Nope, no one. It's just my…it's just…my ghost! I have a ghost. You know, like Moaning Myrtle? She lives in my bathroom. We're just having a bit of a spat because she refuses to leave," she said pointedly looking at Draco, who merely grinned at her.

"You have a bloody ghost living in your bathroom?" Ron called out to her.

"Yes, yes, I do. And she's really, really annoying," she glared at Draco.

"Can I see her?" Ron asked.

"No!" she shouted at once. "She's shy. She doesn't like men."

"Well alright then. Just hurry up. I'm getting antsy out here, if you know what I mean," Ron told her suggestively.

Draco made a face like he was barfing. "Oh god, how disgusting. You're not really going to sleep with him are you?"

"What business is it of yours? It's not like we've never done it before. He's my bloody boyfriend!"

"Yeah, but just the thought of him putting his hands on you makes me want to vomit."

"Well then get out of here or else you're gonna have an earful because he seems intent on staying," she told him.

"I'm staying right where I am. Maybe I'll just dress up like a ghost and scare him out of here."

"Dress up like a ghost? With what? A bed sheet with holes cut into it?"

"Maybe."

"Draco, I hate you. I really do. Why are you doing this?" she asked exasperatedly.

He crossed his arms and stared at her. "Because I like you. And I don't want anyone else to have you." He couldn't believe he admitted that to her, but what the hell? Why not. Draco Malfoy never had a problem speaking his mind before. Why should now be any different.

She just stared at him. "You like me? As in, like like?"

"Yes, like like. What, are we twelve again? You know what I'm talking about. And I know you feel something too by the way you danced with me."

"I thought you'd forgotten about that."

"How could I?"

"You were really drunk."

"So were you. But did you forget?" he asked as he sidled up next to her and touched her arm.

She pulled back. "I didn't forget. But it was just a stupid dance. It didn't mean anything. Please just leave."

"I think I might have a bubble bath," he said as he picked up one of her bottles of bubble bath sitting on the edge of the tub. "Care to join me?"

She groaned. "You know what? I'm just going to pretend you don't exist. Stay here and have a bath. I don't care. Just don't come out of this room!" she shouted and exited the bathroom.

Ron was standing in the hallway staring at her.

"That sounded like a man's voice," he told her with a confused look on his face. "I thought you said the ghost was a girl?"

"It is a girl. But she brought company."

"And they're going to take a bath?" he asked curiously.

"Yes. Yes, they are. They're very annoying like that. So you should probably go. Because it's not as if I can get in the mood while my ghosts are in there bathing together. It's very distracting. And they can get quite noisy."

"Your ghosts have sex in your bathroom?"

"Oh yes, all the time. It's quite embarrassing."

"Hermione, this sounds insane. Why didn't you ever tell me about them before?"

"Because I never thought about it. But you should really go."

Just then she heard Draco moan and call out, "Oh yes, that's the spot!" And Hermione's face went red. Ron just laughed and looked at her.

"Oh my god. Ghosts doing it! That's bloody weird and a half. How do you stand this?"

"I think I'm going to have my house exorcised!" she shouted towards the bathroom door.

"Well at least it's not a poltergeist like Peeves. That would be bloody horrible. Throwing things at you and what not."

"Yes, well, it is a good thing. But really Ron, you should go. They'll be at it for hours."

She pushed him towards the living room and gave him a quick kiss. "I'll see you another time, okay?"

"Alright. I'm holding you to that. I miss you."

"I miss you too. Now off you go. Goodbye," she said quickly.

Ron couldn't help but feel like Hermione was giving him the brush off, but he didn't know what to do. She was acting like a mental patient and the story of the copulating ghosts in her bathroom was very bizarre. But he'd heard it for himself. She couldn't be lying. Who else would be in her bathroom? He just shook his head and disapparated back to Diagon Alley.

Hermione marched back down the hallway and threw open the bathroom door, half expecting to see Draco naked and soaking in her tub. But all she found was him sitting on the edge of the tub, twirling his wand as various bottles of lotions and soaps floated through the air. He waved the wand and everything went back to their usual spots and he put the wand in his pocket. He smiled at her.

"You got rid of him, I see."

"Why were you making sex noises in here by yourself? Are you mad?"

"Yes. I am quite mad. But it was fucking funny, wasn't it? The thought of ghosts having sex. They can't do that. I'm surprised Weasley fell for that stupid idea. He's not the brightest bulb."

"He believed me because he trusts me. Which he really shouldn't because I can't believe I got rid of him instead of you," she said shaking her head.

"I think you made a good choice. Now shall we go to the park, or would you rather join me for that bath?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"In your dreams, Malfoy. We're going to the park. And you will be a perfect gentlemen. And you will feed the ducks with me."

"Feed the ducks?"

"Yes."

"Is that a euphemism for something dirty or are we really feeding ducks?" he asked with a smirk.

"Get your mind out of the gutter. I have no idea why I'm even agreeing to this in the first place."

"It's because I'm irresistible."

"You're very resistible. You're just annoying. And it was easier to get rid of Ron than you because you're a right git and he's not. At least he listens to me."

"I listen to you. I just don't do what you say because I'm a spoiled brat who's used to getting what he wants."

"You got that right," she muttered. "I'm getting the bread for the ducks and then we're leaving."

She marched out of the bathroom and went into the kitchen. She had officially lost her marbles somewhere down the way. She chose to spend the day with Draco rather than Ron. What had gotten into her? She needed to go to St. Mungo's, she suspected. But this little spark inside her told her that a day with Draco would be way more fun than a day with Ron. She felt horribly guilty for thinking it, but it was true. Draco pushed all her buttons and she wanted to throttle him, but she also wanted to throttle him without his clothes on preferably. She was undeniably attracted to him and his arrogant pompous arse. And she hated herself a little bit for that fact. Actually, she hated herself a lot for it. But she couldn't help it.

She walked along the park with Draco at her side. She clutched the bag of bread tightly and tried to keep her distance from him. She didn't want to get too close. Neither one of them were speaking. It was very awkward at first. But then Draco broke the silence.

"See what a lovely day it is?" he remarked.

"Yes, it is," she agreed.

He turned to look at her. "So why did you really get rid of Ron and not me?"

She stopped and looked back at him. "I told you, because he was easier to get rid of."

"Yeah, but you didn't really have to get rid of him. You could have just left the apartment with him and left me there."

She hadn't thought of that. She didn't know why she didn't do that. She shrugged, "I don't know. Ron wanted to fool around and leaving the apartment wasn't exactly an option. And it's not as if I would do that with you sitting in my loo playing with my bubble baths."

"You didn't try very hard to get rid of me."

"Yes I did. You're very stubborn."

He nodded. "Yes, I suppose I am. I'm just surprised is all. I thought you'd hex me or something. I never expected you to really get rid of him."

"Well I did. Happy?" she looked at him pointedly.

"Very happy, actually," he smiled.

"Let's go over to the pond. The ducks are waiting."

She couldn't really explain why she did what she did. And she didn't want to think about it right now. She just wanted to enjoy the rest of the day. Her and Draco sat down on the banks of the pond and began picking apart the bread and tossing it to the waiting ducks. They enjoyed this immensely and gobbled up the bread eagerly. Then a wayward goose got bold and came running up out of the water and headed straight for them. They tried to scramble up and run but the goose was too fast. It tried to grab the bag of bread out of Hermione's hand and she screamed as she laughed.

"Get it off me!" she shouted through her laughter.

Draco stood up and tried to shoo the bird away but it wasn't giving up easily. It started attacking Draco by biting at his legs.

"Get away from me you stupid goose!" he shouted. "Shoo! Go!"

Hermione dropped the bread bag and took Draco's hand. "Run!" she said and dragged him along. They kept going until the goose gave up and just rooted through the bag of bread. They collapsed on the ground by a tree and burst into a fit of giggles.

"I hate animals," Draco muttered. "They're so bloody unpredictable. And why do they always try to bite me?"

"Maybe you look tasty?"

"That must be it."

"Crookshanks likes you. He never tried to bite you. He always tried to bite Ron," she mused.

"Really? He doesn't like Ron, eh?"

"No. He's never really forgiven him for keeping a mass murderer as a pet. But in Ron's defense, he didn't know. He thought it was just a regular rat."

"What are you talking about?" he asked her curiously.

"Didn't you know? Ron's rat was really Wormtail. And to think Ron slept with that bloody rat on his pillow for years. Creepy."

"I didn't know that. But really, who keeps a rat as a pet?"

"Not me, that's for sure. But Ron was so angry with me back in school when he thought my cat ate his rat. He didn't even speak to me for weeks. Stupid git," she laughed.

"You guys fight a lot?" he wondered.

She looked at him and shrugged. "No. We don't fight a lot. We disagree sometimes. But we don't fight. At least not lately. We don't really see each other enough to fight. But he's definitely not happy with me living in London."

"When do you think you'll go back?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know. Whenever the time feels right, I guess. When are you going back?"

He sighed and shook his head. "I have no idea. Part of me wants to go back now just because I feel like I ought to. But another part of me is enjoying this time away. I mean, if I went back you and I couldn't exactly sit in the park together like this without it being broadcast on the front pages of the Daily Prophet."

"That's true."

"And I don't really want to make the papers anymore. I like the anonymity."

"Me too. You have no idea. It's nice to just be Hermione Granger, ordinary girl. I rather like it a lot."

"I do too. No one here knows me and it's very peaceful."

He unzipped his hoodie and took it off because he was getting warm. He tossed it to the side and stretched out his legs. He noticed Hermione's eyes travel to his arm where the Dark Mark resided. He looked at her.

"I'm sorry, should I put the jacket back on? Does this bother you?" he asked her with some worry.

She shook her head. "No, no. Don't be silly. You don't have to keep it covered up on my account."

"Good, because it's a little warm. I was roasting."

She was quiet for a moment then she asked him, "Did it hurt to get that?"

He nodded, "Yeah, it did. I didn't want it. But what can you do, right? If I went back home this would mean something. It would mark me as evil. But here? People just think I'm some sort of bad ass biker," he laughed.

She laughed too. "A biker? You? I can't even imagine that one."

"I could be a biker. I'd just need a bike. And a bitch to ride on the back," he smirked at her.

"Well don't look at me. I'm not going to be your bitch."

"What? You can't see yourself in black leather clutching onto the back of me as we whipped through the city with our gang?" he chuckled.

"No. And you would need a beard or something. And a bandana. And a leather coat. And an actual gang."

"True. Maybe that's not the life for me."

"What do you think the life for you is?" she asked him curiously.

"I don't know. I used to think I had it all figured out, but things change. Now I don't really know what I want. I'm just coasting through life now. But I do know I don't want to be alone," he said softly and he took her hand and held it.

She didn't stop him. She just looked down at their intertwined fingers.

"I don't want to be alone either," she whispered.

"But you're not alone. You've got someone," he pointed out to her.

"Yes, but I'm not sure he's the right one," she admitted softly.

"Really?"

"I don't know. I thought I did know. I've loved Ron since we were kids. But there's no fire. No spark. It's silly really. It shouldn't matter. Maybe love isn't about sparks flying anyway," she shook her head.

"It should be. If it's the right person. Why settle for something lesser? I wouldn't," he admitted honestly.

She looked up at him. "But don't you sometimes feel obligated to do what's expected of you? I mean, your family controlled your every move. How do you just disappoint them by doing something they don't expect?"

"I stopped caring. You can't really call it living if you're always doing what's expected of you. Sometimes you need to just follow your instincts and your heart. I wish I had learned that lesson sooner."

"But what if my instincts are wrong and I make a huge mistake?" she asked quietly.

"Then you learn from it, I suppose." He brushed the hair from her eyes and touched her face gently. "What do your instincts tell you to do right now?"

She shook her head. "I don't want to tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because it could change everything. And I don't know if I'm ready for things to change."

"Isn't change what you're after? Isn't that why you ran away? To find yourself?"

"Yes."

"So what have you found so far?" he leaned over closer to her, his breath tickling her cheek.

"I've found you," she whispered almost inaudibly.

He leaned closer and pressed his lips against hers. He was gentle at first, but then his passion grew and he pulled her closer to him and kissed her harder. She didn't push him away. She returned his passion. But then she stopped him and pulled away.

"Draco, no. We can't," she told him shaking her head.

"Why not?"

"You know why not."

"Break up with him," he urged her.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"It'll crush him."

"So then you'd be happy to forget about me and that kiss and just pretend it never happened?" he asked her pointedly.

"I think I have to. You said we could be friends. So that's what we should be. Nothing more."

"I don't accept that."

"You have no choice. I'm sorry. I have to go." She stood up and attempted to leave. He grabbed her arm and pulled her down with him again.

"You can't go. The day is still young. Let me at least show you my favorite spot in the park," he told her with a smile. He wasn't giving up easily. Not when he knew she felt something for him too. He was tenacious.

"Where's your favorite spot?" she asked curiously.

"I'll show you."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her up with him. They took off walking and he didn't let go of her hand. She knew she should let go, but she didn't. It felt nice to be holding his hand. And it had felt nice to kiss him. More than nice. It was electric. There was no denying she had feelings for him. But she had no idea what to do with them. So she just followed him along through the park, wondering where he was going to take her.

They ended up on the far side of the park where there were trees and rocks. He led her into the trees and took her to a small stream that ran through. There was a big rock with a small waterfall coming off of it and he urged her to climb up it with him. She followed after him and they sat on top of the huge rock and just looked down at the water.

"I had no idea this was even here," she told him.

"Yeah, I found it one day. No one ever comes over here for some reason. It's nice and private. You can do a lot of thinking here."

"What do you think about when you come here?" she wondered.

"Everything. And sometimes nothing. Sometimes I just lay back on the rock and stare at the sky through the trees."

He laid down and pulled her with him. They lay there on the rock in silence. She just stared up at the sky and she felt Draco take her hand and hold it tightly. A million thoughts were swirling in her head. She didn't know what to do with any of them. If someone had told her five years ago that she'd be lying in a park holding hands with Draco Malfoy, she would have thought they were off their rocker. It was unfathomable. But here she was. And she glanced down and saw his Dark Mark staring her right in the face and she knew should care about that. She should loathe that. But she just felt sorry for him. He was stuck with that scar forever. Just as she was stuck with her scar forever. Mudblood. Carved right into her arm. You could still see it, which is why she usually covered her arms. And he had watched it happen. She should hate him. But she didn't. All she could see was his helpless face staring at her, as she lay on that floor. He wasn't enjoying it. He looked near tears. She remembered that. And she stared at him, willing him to help her, but he didn't. How could she forgive him?

"I know what you're thinking," he whispered to her finally.

"How could you possibly know that?" she whispered back.

"Because I just do. You're wondering what the hell you're doing with the likes of me. I saw you look at the mark. I know you struggle to forgive me. And you should. I don't deserve it," he admitted it quietly, never taking his eyes off the sky.

She look over at him. "How did you know I was thinking that?"

"Legilimency," he answered plainly. He was quite good at it when he tried.

"You're reading my mind?" She sat up and looked at him.

"I couldn't help it. I wanted to know what you were thinking."

"Well don't do that. I don't want you in my mind," she said seriously annoyed with him.

He sat up. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. But I do wonder, will you ever forgive me? Even if I don't deserve it?" he asked her quietly, feeling ashamed of himself in front of her.

She stared at him for a moment. "I already forgive you. I know that you didn't want me to suffer. You had no choice. You would have been killed had you tried to help me."

"But it would have been a noble death. A heroes death. But unfortunately, I'm not Harry Potter. I'm no hero. I'm just a coward."

"I don't compare you to Harry. I don't compare anyone to Harry. I don't think anyone else would have been as brave as he was. I know I wasn't. I don't think if it were me I could have done what he did."

"But you were brave. You did so much. You risked so much. You were always brave. Hell, you stood up to me more times than I can count. Even punched me in the face. I did not see that one coming," he laughed slightly.

She smiled in spite of the seriousness of the conversation. "That was a great day. You should have seen the look on your face. That is before you ran away in terror with your friends."

"You were fucking scary, Hermione. I'm telling you, when you get pissed it's frightening."

"Oh poor Draco. Afraid of a girl. A mudblood at that. It's quite amusing," she said with a slight smile.

"I told you, I don't use that word anymore. And I couldn't help but be afraid of you. I had no idea what you'd do to me next. You could have hexed my balls off for all I know," he told her with a laugh.

"I should have. Would have served you right. But lately, I don't feel the need to hex you. Or punch you."

"What do you feel the need to do then?" he asked turning to face her.

"This," she whispered as she kissed him again. She knew it was wrong but she didn't care. She wrapped her arms around him and let him deepen their kiss. She felt dizzy and lightheaded and like she'd just chugged a bottle of Firewhisky. How could something so wrong, feel so right? She didn't know. But she didn't want it to end. She felt more alive in this moment than she had since before the war. He finally pulled back from her breathlessly.

"Let's go back to your flat," he whispered.

"Why?"

"Because it's more private."

"And then what are we going to do?" she asked him breathlessly.

"Whatever you want to do."

"We could talk," she offered.

"Yeah, let's talk. A lot."

"Right. We'll talk."

They stood up and made sure no one was around to see them and then they disapparated out of the park and into her living room. Before Hermione could even get her bearings Draco had grabbed her and started kissing her again.

"What are you doing?" she asked against his mouth.

"Talking to you," he told her as he crushed his lips to hers.

"I like this conversation," she muttered back between kisses.

"Me too."

He began undoing her shirt and her fingers were grasping at his t-shirt. He pulled back long enough for her to rip it over his head and throw it carelessly away. He gave up on her buttons and just ripped the blouse off her.

"Hey now, I love that shirt," she told him, as he kissed her again.

"I'll buy you a new one," he uttered as he frantically tried to get her bra off.

They stumbled down the hallway with clothes flying everywhere until they made it to her bedroom. They fell on the bed and all their clothes were suddenly gone. Hermione tried to block all thoughts out of her head except the feelings he gave her. She'd never wanted anyone this bad in her life. Her body was on fire at his very touch. And before she knew what was really happening it was too late to go back. And she didn't want to. When they were done she lay underneath him panting for air and trying to get a grip on reality again.

"Oh my god," she said breathlessly. "What did we just do?"

"Do I need to teach you the birds and bees, love?" he whispered as he nibbled her ear and kissed her neck, as he collapsed on top of her.

"No, no, I know the birds and bees. But what the hell did we just do?" she asked more frantically, getting back to her senses.

"I'd say we just had the most incredible shag I've ever had. I mean, bloody hell, it was fantastic. I never knew you'd be so feisty," he purred into her ear.

"I can't believe I just did that," she muttered hopelessly. What was she going to tell Ron? She could never tell him. Ever. He'd kill her. He'd kill Draco. He'd just kill everyone.

"Don't tell me you regret that, Hermione. It was bloody perfect. Better than I imagined."

"You imagined this?"

"Of course I did. Didn't you?"

"No. Never. Not really. Well okay maybe once or twice. But…oh God. I'm a whore," she cried.

"What? Shut your mouth. You are not," he said to her sternly.

"I've cheated on Ron. With you! With you of all people. He's going have a coronary," she said as she pushed Draco off her and clutched the sheet to her nakedness.

"Well I suggest you don't fucking tell him, for starters. I don't want the Weasel after me trying to blow my bits off," he told her.

"I can't just not tell him. Eventually he'll find out."

"How? He's not here. And if you don't tell him, I'm sure as hell not telling him."

"But he'll still know. I mean, I have to tell someone."

"Why?"

"Because!"

"Because why?"

"Because it was fucking fantastic and someone needs to know that," she said frantically.

He started laughing at her. "You want to tell someone because it was so good?"

"Yes! But I can't. Oh god, this is so wrong. Why are you so good at this? How many girls have you been with?" she asked him.

"Not enough. I was kind of busy the last couple of years being a Death Eater locked inside my house with Voldemort. Maybe I'm just a natural? Or maybe you and I are just magic together?" he said with a large grin.

"How could we be? We're not supposed to be together at all."

"But we are. And you love it. You'll just have to face it that we're perfect together."

She pulled the covers over her head and hid from his gaze. This couldn't be happening. But it was. And she'd wanted it. She did nothing to stop it. She urged it on. She did things in bed with him that she and Ron had never done. She'd uttered words in the throes of passion that she didn't even know she knew. What had come over her? Why couldn't it be like this with Ron? Oh god, Ron. Why couldn't she stop thinking about him?

"Love, stop hiding under the covers. I can still see you. Don't feel bad about what we did. It was only natural."

She pulled the covers off her head and glared at him. "Natural? This was natural? This was about as unnatural as things come! You were a bloody Death Eater and I just shagged you senseless."

"So what? I'm not a Death Eater anymore. And you're not as innocent and pure as you want the world to think you are. I know the real you. I've seen it. I've tasted it. You're a bad girl and you can't resist the bad guy."

She shoved him away from her. "Shut up. I am not a bad girl. I'm the furthest thing from bad that you can get. I did all my homework weeks in advance and I always brush my teeth and floss everyday. I don't even swear!"

"Yes you do. You said this was fucking fantastic. I heard the word come from your lips. Plus you asked me to fu— "

"No I didn't! I didn't ask you to do that!" she said quickly.

"Yes, you did. And I obliged you. Quite happily." He smiled at her.

"My life is over now," she muttered unhappily.

"Bollocks. Your life is just starting. Don't tell me that you're that ashamed to be with me. I know you're not."

"It's not just you, it's that I cheated. I cheated on Ron. It's unforgivable. And it's not me. You must have put a spell on me or something. You did this!"

"I didn't do anything! You wanted it too. Don't deny it."

She stared at him wordlessly. He was right. She wasn't under a spell. She wasn't a 'good' girl. She wasn't perfect. She had done this all on her own. And she had liked it. No, she more than liked it. She loved it. But that didn't make her feel any better.

"Oh god, I just never wanted to hurt Ron," she whispered as she curled up onto the pillow.

"Shh, it's okay. Just break up with him and don't tell him the real reason why. He'll never know."

"But I'll know. And still, how could he never find out? Eventually I want to go back and what do I do about you? Bring you with me?"

"I hadn't really thought that far ahead. I just assumed you'd be here longer than that."

"Well I don't know how long I'll be here. And I can't just bring you to dinner at Harry's house and say 'hey, meet my new boyfriend Harry. Remember Draco? He tried to kill us'."

"I never tried to kill you."

"Well same difference. You were the enemy. I can't exactly tell anyone about this."

"Well neither can I. What do you think my family would say if I brought you around for a spot of tea with my mum and dad? They'd lock me up and force me to marry Astoria whatever her name is."

"So we're each other's dirty little secret then? Can't tell anyone?"

"I guess so. But who cares? We're here and they're not here. Why can't we just have a life here where no one cares?" he wondered.

"I don't know. I mean, eventually I want to go back."

"We'll deal with that then. Right now, I just want to enjoy this. Don't you?"

"I have to tell Ron. I have to break up with him."

"Right now? Can't it wait?"

"Yes, I suppose it can wait. A little anyway. I have no idea what I'm going to say to him."

"Don't think about that now," he whispered to her as he put his arms around her. "Let's just bask in the afterglow."

She wished she could do that. Just forget everything and enjoy this. But she couldn't. She was worried about Ron. And she was worried about the future. Draco didn't seem to want to go back to the Wizarding world, and she did. Eventually. Did they even have a future when neither one of them wanted anyone to know they were together? What kind of life would they really have? It's not as if they were in love. Were they? No. It was too soon for that. She barely knew him. This was lust. Pure unadulterated lust. Not love. And she'd just ruined her chance at happiness with someone she did love. She betrayed Ron. He'd never forgive her. And she knew she didn't deserve his forgiveness anyway. Maybe her and Draco were suited to one another? They were both selfish. She'd never thought of herself that way until now. But she was different. Being with him made her different. And she wasn't sure if she liked it or not.

**Feedback is appreciated! I hope you'll continue to read along!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

The next few days passed and she had avoided seeing Draco. She worked a lot and didn't answer her phone when he called. And by some miracle he hadn't just shown up. Maybe he was giving her the space he knew she needed? She felt so conflicted. And she knew she had to talk to Ron. She had to see him. She was supposed to see him today but she had no idea what she was going to tell him. This time she was meeting him at his house. He told her he'd managed to get his parents to go out to dinner and give them the place for the evening. They'd obliged knowing it had been awhile since the two of them had been alone together or seen each other at all. But she didn't know how to face him. No matter how many showers she took, she still felt like he could smell the Draco on her if he took a whiff.

She got herself ready and disapparated to the Burrow. It felt weird to be back there now. She hadn't visited in a long while. But she knew it was just Ron waiting for her and not the entire clan. That made it a little easier. But harder too. Because she knew she was going to have to break his heart. She walked up to the door and knocked. After a moment, Ron appeared.

"It's so good to see you," he said as he hugged her.

"It's good to see you too," she smiled at him.

"Come on in. I have some wine. I know you said you liked that. I figured we could have a little," he offered as he ushered into the house.

She sat down on the couch and waited for him to come back with the wine. She was very nervous. She didn't know how she was going to tell him that it was over. She still cared very deeply for him and didn't want to hurt him. But things had changed. She had to do this. She had to let him go. It was hurting both of them if she didn't do this.

He handed her a glass of wine and sat down next to her.

"So what's been going on with you? Have you been enjoying work?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Yes, work has been nice. How about you?"

"Oh it's been great. We've been so busy I hardly have time to think. Fred would be so proud."

"I'm sure he would be. I really wish he was here to see it. I know you miss him."

"I do. We all do. George especially. He just doesn't like to talk about it much."

"I don't expect he would," she said softly, putting her glass down on the table. "Look Ron, we need to talk," she told him hesitantly.

"Talk? About what?"

"Us."

"Oh no. No. Don't even say it, Hermione. I know how this conversation goes, so just stop talking," he said standing up from the couch.

"Ron, I can't stop talking. I need to say this," she pleaded with him.

"No, I know when a person is getting the shove off. I'm not that dim. But I'm not going to let you say it," he protested.

She just looked at him and didn't know what to say. "You have to let me say it. You can't just pretend this isn't happening," she told him quietly.

"Blimey, what did I do wrong? Just tell me that. I tried to do everything right. I treated you right and proper. I bought you gifts. I listened to you. I told you you were pretty. I loved you. I still love you. What did I do wrong?" he asked desperately.

She stood up to face him. "You did nothing wrong, Ron. It's me. I-I just can't do this anymore. We're not right for each other. We never were. I love you, but I don't think it's the right kind of love."

"The right kind of love? Is this because of the bathroom thing at the restaurant? Because I was too stupid to do it? If you want excitement, I'll try and be more exciting. We can do it right in the middle of Diagon Alley if that gets you going. I don't care."

"It's not about that. It's just that I feel for you like I feel for Harry. Like a brother."

"Like a brother? Are you kidding me? You can't be serious!" he shouted at her.

"Please don't yell. I'm sorry. I thought it was different between us. I thought there was romance. I wanted there to be. I've loved you since we were kids. But that spark just isn't there."

"Yes it is! We have spark. We've done things. We've had very passionate things. There's definitely a spark," he protested.

"Not for me," she said softly. "I'm sorry. We're just too different. I thought it would work. I thought we'd be happy. But the truth is, I'm not happy. I just don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel. I can't help it."

He just stared at her with his eyes fuming in anger and hurt and frustration. He couldn't believe she was dumping him. He loved her so much. They'd been through so much together. How could she be doing this to him?

"Is it someone else?" he asked her finally.

"No," she answered back quickly.

"Are you lying?"

"Ron, I wouldn't lie to you." Yes, she would. She was lying. And she hated it.

"I can see it in your face, Hermione. There_ is_ someone else, isn't there? You met someone? A Muggle?"

She just stared at the floor and said nothing for awhile.

"Answer me!" he bellowed at her.

She looked up at him. "He's not a Muggle."

"Oh, so then there is someone else? I bloody well knew it. I should have known. God damn it! I tried to be everything to you and still it wasn't enough. Who is he? Tell me that. Who is he?" he demanded.

"No one you know."

"Who is he?"

"I just told you, it's no one you know!" she shouted back.

"If he's not a Muggle, that means he's a wizard. Which means he probably went to Hogwarts. I'm not daft. Who the hell is it? Dean Thomas? Oliver Wood?"

"No, it's not either of them. Stop being ridiculous. I never said he went to Hogwarts."

"Then where did he go? Durmstrang? Is it Victor? Oh god, tell me it's not Victor."

"It's not Victor," she said quietly.

"Then tell me who it is. You at least owe me that."

"I don't want to tell you who it is. You'll freak out."

"I'm already fucking freaking out, Hermione! Can't you tell?" he shouted at her angrily.

"Well it'll be a lot worse if I tell you. Trust me. Just let it go," she urged him.

"Who could it be that would make me freak out? Unless it's someone ridiculous like Draco Malfoy," he said dripping with sarcasm.

Hermione flinched and refused to look at him. She just stared at her hands. Ron noticed this and got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Oh my God. You've got to be shitting me. It _is_ Draco Malfoy. Isn't it?" he asked in disbelief.

"He's changed. He's not like he used to be," she protested.

"Oh my fucking god. This isn't real. This is like a bad dream. You and _Malfoy_? What the fuck is he even doing in London? How did this happen?" he asked her desperately.

"He was just trying to start over where no one knew him. We ran into each other. It was all very innocent. And then I don't know. Suddenly it wasn't. It's complicated. I'm sorry, Ron. I told you it was better if you didn't know who it was."

"You're bleedin' right about that. Malfoy? My God, what the hell is wrong with you? Do you not remember he's our enemy? Do you not remember he's a Death Eater?"

"He didn't want to be! They made him. And he's not one anymore. He's trying to change his life. He's not like he used to be."

"I don't care if he spends his days reading books to blind orphans, that git will never change. Not really. It's just an act. It's what he does. He pretends to be something he's not. And he's obviously got you fooled. Did you sleep with him?"

"Don't ask me that."

"I'll take that as a yes. You actually _slept_ with that bastard?"

"I didn't mean to," she said weakly.

"Didn't mean to? So it was an accident? You just were minding your own business and somehow you accidentally ended up in bed with him? Sure, I can see how that could happen. Could happen to anyone, right?" he said incredulously.

"Perhaps accident isn't the right term, but it wasn't planned. It just happened. I never meant for you to know."

"Then why did you tell me? You could have just never told me and forgotten all about it and come back to me. Hell, if you want to be forgiven, I'll forgive you. And then we can just pick up the pieces and start over," he told her desperately.

"Ron, we can't do that. And why would you want to forgive me? You'd never forget what I did. How could you even still want me?"

"I don't know, Hermione, but I do. If you want me to forgive you, I will. If it was a mistake, I'll understand."

"It wasn't a mistake. I don't deserve your forgiveness. And I don't want it. You deserve so much better."

"But I want you," he said softly.

"I know. But I'm afraid that I am just not who you thought I was. I'm different. Everything is different. And I just have to let you go. It's for your own good. Trust me. In time, you'll see that," she explained.

"This can't be happening," he muttered.

"I'm very sorry. I really am. But I should go."

"I don't want you to go."

"I have to."

She walked over and kissed him on the cheek softly. "Some part of me will always love you. I hope one day we can be friends again. But I know it's probably too much to ask. I'm sorry."

And with that, she disapparated out of his house and back to her own. She stood there in the empty room and looked around her. What had she done? She'd just ripped out Ron's heart. After he was so good to her, and she was an evil heartbreaker. But the damage had already been done. She'd slept with Draco. And worse yet, she had feelings for him too. She couldn't stop herself. Ron was just an unfortunate casualty of her wayward heart. She began to cry and the tears burned her cheeks. She didn't wipe them away. She just slumped down on the couch and began sobbing. All at once she heard a cracking sound and thought Ron had followed her home. But Draco stood before her, standing in her living room, just staring at her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked through her choking sobs.

"I-I just came to see you. What's the matter with you?" he asked softly.

"Everything. I just broke up with Ron. He knows about us."

"What? You told him about us? Are you crazy?"

"It just happened. He guessed actually. I never meant to tell him, but he knew."

"How would he know it was me?"

"He just did. It was his worst nightmare I suppose. But it's over. I broke his heart."

He sat down next to her and put his arm around her. "Looks like your heart is broken as well," he whispered to her.

"Everything is broken," she cried.

"It'll be okay. You'll see. You did the right thing," he told her.

"How could this be right?"

"Because you weren't meant to be with him. You were meant to be with me," he said softly as he smoothed her hair out of her face.

"Meant to be with you?"

"Yes."

"I don't know if I believe that. I mean, you can't even tell your family about me."

"I will. If you want me to. I'll tell them everything. If that will prove to you how much you mean to me," he told her seriously.

"You'd really tell them?"

"Yes."

"They'll disown you."

"I don't care," he said confidently. "I love you."

She looked at him and wiped her eyes. Had she heard him correctly? "You love me?"

"I do. I don't know when or how or anything like that. But I know how I feel. I love you. I think I always have."

She laughed somewhat bitterly. "Oh stop it. You _always_ have? So all those times you called me names and wished I would die was your way of loving me? How stupid do you think I am? That's not love."

"Well maybe to you it's not, but it makes sense to me. You wouldn't give me the time of day. The only way I could get your attention was by being a prick to you."

"You really wanted my attention?"

"Yes. I did. It makes no sense. I'm not explaining it well. But all I know is that I love you now. And I'll prove it to you."

"How?"

"You'll see."

"I don't feel very loveable at the moment. In fact I must look dreadful."

"You look beautiful. Sad, but beautiful." He kissed her forehead and pulled her closer to him. "Go ahead and keep crying if you need to. I'll be here."

"You will?" she looked up at him curiously.

"I'm not going anywhere."

She just snuggled down next to him and laid her head in his lap. She was still crying, but she wasn't even sure why anymore. Was it for Ron? Was it because Draco said he loved her? Was it because she was ashamed of herself and her feelings and what she did? She wasn't sure. She just felt lost. Like she'd just let go of the last tether holding her to her old life and was now completely on her own in this new world. Ron was her past. Ron had been her lifeboat. And now it was over. She let him go. And even if she knew it was the right thing to do, somehow it just made her feel terribly alone. But she wasn't alone. Draco was there. He was holding her. And he said he wouldn't leave. She believed him. Was he her future? She couldn't figure it all out right now. Right now, she just wanted to cry for the girl she used to be and the woman she was becoming. It was time to move forward. She just didn't know if she could do it.

Hermione woke up the next morning in her bed. She had no idea how she had gotten there. The last thing she remembered was lying in Draco's lap crying her eyes out, while he smoothed her hair and said nothing to her. Neither one of them spoke and she must have fallen asleep. Maybe he carried her to bed? She wasn't sure. But she sat up and realized she was in her sleep shirt with no memory of putting it on. Did Draco do that too? She had no idea. But she could smell something burning in her kitchen and she got up to investigate. She took her wand with her, just in case. She crept out down the hallway and saw smoke all over the place. She waved her hand in front of her face and coughed.

"Draco? Is that you?" she called out into the kitchen. She had no idea who else would be there setting her kitchen on fire.

"Yes, it's me. I'm afraid I've burned your breakfast," he called out.

She walked into the kitchen and saw him standing there with his hair all messy and his shirt undone. He had a spatula in his hand and there was smoke rising from the toaster.

"What did you do to my toaster?"

"I burned it a little. The toast caught fire. And I'm afraid that the eggs I was making didn't fare much better," he said as he held out a pan with blackened gook all over the bottom.

"You have no idea how to cook, do you?" she asked with a small smile.

"Not a clue. But I thought I'd give it a go. You know, do it like the Muggles do. But unfortunately I failed a little bit. I'm used to house elves."

"What do you do for food at your own place? Surely you didn't bring a house elf with you, did you?"

"No, I eat out."

"Well thank you for trying anyway. But you really did make a mess."

"No worries. I'll fix it right up," he said taking his wand out of his pocket. He waved it in the air and all the smoke cleared out and the pan began scrubbing itself in the sink. The toaster stopped smoking and the pieces of burnt bread flew into the bin.

"Did you stay here all night with me?" she asked curiously.

"Yes. You were really upset and I didn't think you should be alone. You fell asleep on my lap so I took you to bed. You were practically comatose. You didn't even open your eyes when I accidentally smacked your head against the headboard," he laughed slightly.

"You smacked my head?"

"It was an accident. I think you'll live."

"Did you sleep in the bed with me?"

"Was I not supposed to? I mean, we've already had sex."

"Yes, I know. I remember. I was there. I was just curious."

"I hope you don't mind I stayed. I could leave now if you'd like."

He was being so polite she didn't know how to act. Normally they teased each other a lot and she called him names. But she supposed everything was different now. He had told her he loved her. And even though she found it hard to believe, she could see he was obviously trying to be a good guy here. Even making her breakfast. Ron had never tried to do that for her before. Of course he couldn't cook either.

"You don't have to leave. Unless you have somewhere to be. I was just going to get a shower and maybe go to the coffee shop. You could come with me. But I do have to work at eleven," she told him.

"Alright. To our favorite coffee shop then. The one that brought us together," he smiled at her.

"Yes, the one that brought us together."

She quickly showered and changed and they went off to their coffee shop. It had been awhile since they'd been there together. But this time felt different. He held her hand over the table and kept asking her if she was alright.

"For the last time Draco, I'm fine. I just had a slight nervous breakdown last night, but who could blame me? I broke up with the supposed love of my life in favor of another man. I felt dreadful and evil, like a shrew."

"You're not a shrew."

"You didn't see the look on Ron's face."

"No I didn't. But I can imagine. I know how I'd look if I were him."

"But I can't change what happened. It was for the best, right? That's what you said. It's time to march on. Eventually Ron will get over me. It's not as if I'm that special after all," she said flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"I don't know about that one. You seem pretty special to me," he said, as he took her hand and kissed it.

She smiled at him. "You're very good at flattery. Better than you are at insulting me. I think I prefer this new Draco to the old one."

"I could still insult you, if you'd like. It was kind of fun to watch you get mad. But I must admit I like seeing you smile at me instead."

She looked at the clock on the wall. "I really have to get to work."

"Do you want me to walk you?"

"No, that's fine. You finish your coffee. Maybe ring me later. We'll have dinner?"

"Sure. That sounds good." He leaned over the table and gave her a kiss. She didn't want it to stop but she worried about people staring at them snogging over the table. She pulled back.

"Save something for later. I'll see you tonight," she told him with a grin. Then she walked out of the place and headed to work.

She strolled along the street trying not to laugh. She had no idea what was funny. Nothing was funny about her life right now. She'd just ripped out Ron's heart and was now snogging the enemy in a coffee shop. What did she have to be giddy about? But something about the way Draco made her feel just made her want to grin from ear to ear. She couldn't help it. It was crazy. But her good mood ended when she neared the bookshop. She saw a familiar face standing in front waiting for her. She definitely wasn't expecting to see him, but she should have known he'd eventually come.

"Harry, what are you doing here?" she asked as she approached him.

"I think you know why I'm here, Hermione," he said pointedly. "I talked to Ron."

"Of course you did. But why are you here?"

"To see for myself if you've gone bleedin' bonkers or not. Hermione, how could you do this to Ron?" he asked her in a low voice so people on the street wouldn't stare at them.

"I haven't gone bonkers. And I'm sorry I hurt Ron, but it was unavoidable. You know I would never purposely hurt him if I could help it," she explained to him.

"But Draco Malfoy? Are you even serious? When he told me I thought for sure you'd been put under the Imperius curse or something. And I'm still not convinced you aren't," he said feeling her forehead.

She slapped his hand away. "What are you feeling for? The Imperius curse doesn't give you a fever. And I'm not under a curse. Draco has changed," she told him firmly.

"I realize he's not quite the evil git I always thought he was, but he's certainly not good. He's still a right bastard and I can't believe you'd drop Ron for him. I thought you and Ron were meant to be?"

"Well we're not. I don't know what to tell you, Harry. I'm not bonkers or under a spell. And if you knew Draco like I did, you'd understand."

"How long has this been going on?"

"I don't know. We ran into each other awhile ago. And we decided to be friends."

"Friends? With Malfoy?"

"Yes."

"Okay…I still don't get it," he said shaking his head.

"I don't expect you to get it. I don't expect anyone to get it. But I don't care. I'm a big girl Harry. I can date whomever I wish to date. And I'm sorry if you don't approve."

Harry was silent for a moment, just staring at her. She was his best friend, besides Ron. He loved her. And he didn't want to see her making a huge mistake. He always thought that her and Ron would be together forever. Like him and Ginny. He didn't understand what had come over her.

"I just want what's best for you, Hermione. That's it. I want you to be happy," he told her honestly.

"Well I am happy."

"With Draco?"

"Yes."

He just stared at her again and said nothing. No more words could come to him.

"Look Harry, I'm late for work. Is there anything else you want to say to me?" she asked with some irritation in her voice.

He shook his head. "No, there's nothing else. Except be careful. I don't trust Malfoy. I never have. And neither did you once. Don't forget who he is."

"I won't. I know what I'm doing."

"Okay. Well another thing. Don't bring him to my house. You do whatever you want to do out here in London, but he's not welcome at my place. Ron would kill me if I let him come over."

"Fine. I understand. I'll keep my private life private. I wouldn't want to ruin your friendship with Ron."

He nodded and then he went over and hugged her. "I love you. Be safe. And just so you know, we're still friends. Just don't let Ron know I said that. I'm sort of supposed to hate you right now."

"You are?" she smiled slightly.

"Yeah. Ron sent me here to give you a piece of my mind and to shun you. But I can't do that. I still think you're out of your mind, but I'm just going to shut up about it. For now, anyway. But if that jerk so much as says a bad word to you, I will hunt him down and Cruciate him,"

"Thank you, Harry," she smiled at him.

"Don't think I won't do it."

"No, I know you will. But don't worry about me. I'm fine."

"Alright. Get to work then. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay. Goodbye Harry."

"Goodbye."

She watched him walk away and she felt lucky she still had him for a friend. She wasn't sure what he would do or say when he found out. She knew he wouldn't be happy. But at least he was still speaking to her. That was something. She should have known he'd be a little more forgiving since she didn't rip his heart out. She just wished she could have done something differently, but she couldn't. She was in London to find herself and she was on her way to doing that. And in finding herself, she had to let bits of the old Hermione go. Even if it was really painful. She knew in the end, she'd be happier for it.

**Feedback is appreciated! I hope you'll continue to read along!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

Hermione met Draco for dinner at an Italian restaurant that he suggested. He knew more about the places to eat out than she did, seeing as how he did it all the time. He told her to dress nicely, so she assumed it was fancy. She wasn't really used to fancy, but she did have a little black dress stored away for such an occasion. She had shoes to match. High heels. She never wore heels. Already her feet were aching and she'd only walked a few blocks. She didn't understand how women could wear these horrible things. Draco came into sight as she got closer to the restaurant. He was standing outside smoothing down his black suit jacket. He looked very dashing, and more like the old Draco she was used to seeing. He wasn't wearing jeans and a t-shirt like he had been when they met up again. He looked very handsome, she had to admit. She hoped she lived up to expectations.

He smiled at her when she approached. He held out his hands and took hers.

"You look beautiful," he said with a smile.

"You don't look so bad yourself," she smiled back.

"I hope you're hungry because this place is really fantastic."

"Do you come here alone?" she wondered.

He shrugged. "I'm not alone tonight."

He ushered them inside and they were shown to a table. The atmosphere was very romantic and candlelit. She couldn't imagine Draco dining there alone, but he obviously had. The thought of that broke her heart a little.

"Here's the wine list. Pick anything you want," he told her.

She perused the selections and saw that the bottles were insanely priced. She only drank cheap wine from the local liquor mart and wasn't used to bottles costing five hundred pounds. It better be made of Felix Felicias for that price, she thought to herself.

"I don't know anything about wines," she admitted. She was just afraid to pick something too expensive.

"I assumed you did. You had wine at your place."

"That was just some cheap crap. These bottles cost a fortune," she whispered across the table at him.

He laughed. "It's okay, I can afford it." He took the menu out of her hands and looked at it. When the waiter came he ordered one of the more expensive bottles. The waiter looked at him for a moment, noting his young age and you could tell he didn't think Draco had the money for it.

"Sir, that bottle is four hundred pounds," he said trying to be polite.

"Yes, I'm aware. Do run along now and fetch it before I tell your manager that you tried to imply I couldn't afford such things. Do you even know who I am?" Draco asked in a snippy tone.

"I'm sorry, sir. I'll get the bottle." The waiter rushed off as quickly as he could.

"Can you believe that? He acted as if I was dressed as a pauper. This suit cost four hundred galleons."

"Draco, people don't know who you are here. Remember? It doesn't do any good to throw your weight around," she reminded him.

He shook his head. "You're right. Sorry. I guess I just slipped into my usual mode. I'm not used to people looking at me that way."

"You get used to it."

"I doubt I ever will. What would you know about being looked down on anyway? Aren't your parents dentists? I hear they make good money, for Muggles."

"We were never rich. We lived well, but not exactly like Malfoy Manor. And me? I'm a poor sod. I have hardly any money to my name. I work in a bloody bookshop remember?"

"I remember. I guess I just don't think about money."

"That's because your mummy is still giving you an allowance."

"Does that make me less desirable? To live off my mum?" he asked curiously.

She shook her head. "No. I don't mind. I mean, I suppose someday you should have a job, but for right now, I wish my mum was giving me money. It'd help a lot," she laughed slightly.

He nodded. "Yeah someday I'll get a job. Doing what, I have no idea. But eventually."

Their wine came and the waiter fell all over himself trying to be polite to Draco, this time. He apparently didn't want the manager involved. When he departed, Hermione took a sip.

"Oh that's delicious. That's the best wine I've ever tasted. You're spoiling me."

"I could spoil you with more than expensive wine," he said giving her a grin.

"I wouldn't be opposed to being showered with presents if the mood struck you," she said with a sly grin.

"Did Ron give you presents?" he asked.

She bristled at the mention of his name. She was trying to forget all about him. But she answered him. "Yes. Sometimes. Although his idea of presents were a little off sometimes. I got a lot of joke items from the shop. And candies. Not that I don't love candies, but a girl can only eat so much chocolate before she wants to barf."

Draco was satisfied to hear that the Weasel was an inept gift giver. He could do so much better than that. He pulled his wand out of his pocket, under the tablecloth where no one could see. He conjured up a rose and handed it to Hermione.

"Here. It's just as beautiful as you are," he cooed softly.

She took it in her hands and smelled it. "It's lovely. Thank you. Where did it come from?"

"Magic."

"Draco! Remember what I said about being careful. You can't do magic in a public place."

"No one saw me. You didn't see me, right? Relax."

"Okay, I'll relax. Sorry. I just get a bit dodgy when it comes to breaking rules."

"Why? You broke plenty of them at school."

"Only in emergencies! It's not as if I was a rebel," she pointed out haughtily.

"No, you weren't really what I'd call a rebel. Too bookish. You spent so much time in the library I thought you actually worked there."

"Shut up. I had a lot of research to do."

"On what?"

"Things."

"Secret things? Or boring school things?"

"Both," she shrugged.

"You were always such a mystery to me," he said gazing at her across the table with his hands under his chin.

"I was?"

"Yes. I couldn't figure you out. You were complete goody two shoes, yet you managed to get yourself into the middle of every bit of trouble that occurred. I had no idea what to make of you."

"I didn't think you thought of me at all really. At least not to ponder who I really was."

"I thought all sorts of things you have no idea about," he said with a raised eyebrow.

She kicked him under the table. "You did not. You hated me. And don't tell me that line about always loving me, because it's rubbish."

"No, no, I'm being completely serious. I saw you at the Yule Ball with Victor Krum. When you came down that staircase? I had no idea who you were at first. You took my breath away."

"Liar," she stuck out her tongue at him.

"I'm dead serious. Didn't you see my mouth fall open?"

"No, I didn't. I wasn't looking at you at all."

"Well Pansy noticed and she kicked me. Brought me back to my senses right quick. But still, the thought was there," he assured her.

"I have to say I never thought of you that way in school," she admitted to him.

"Why not?"

"Because you were a complete bastard. I couldn't look past that."

"And now?"

"Well you're not a complete bastard any longer. And I've noticed that you might be a little bit handsome," she said coolly.

"A little bit?"

"Okay, a lot. You're a lot handsome. And sexy," she added with a shy smile. 

"Sexy huh? Now I'm starting to enjoy this conversation," he smirked at her.

"You ought to know I think that after what we did. We could barely make it to the bedroom."

"I remember. I can hardly wait for a repeat performance," he said suggestively as he touched her hand over the table.

"Well play your cards right and you just might get that performance tonight," she told him boldly.

"Let's hurry up and eat then," he laughed. "I'm ready to go."

"We haven't even gotten our food yet."

"But my mind is already gone."

"Keep it check. I'm hungry. And I'm not leaving until I finish the whole bottle of wine. It cost too much and tastes too good to go to waste."

"You're a tease."

"I know. And you love it."

Hermione couldn't believe she was saying these things to him. It wasn't like her to be so forward. But she enjoyed flirting with him. It was fun. And she liked this new naughty side to her personality. She wasn't a little girl anymore. She was a woman. And it was time she started acting as such. It was no time to be shy or repressed. It was time to have some fun.

After they finished their meal, Hermione was feeling full and slightly tipsy from the amount of wine she drank. She was laughing at something Draco said and he picked her up and swung her around and kissed her right on the street. She couldn't stop giggling.

"Let's go to a club," she suggested to him quickly.

"A club? You mean where people dance? I told you Hermione, I don't like to dance. Especially in public."

"Oh come on. Don't be such a spoil sport. Where's your sense of fun?"

He thought for a moment and remembered how much fun it had been to dance with her at her apartment. He decided to relent. Anything to make her happy. So they set off down the street in search of a club. Draco had no idea where they were going though. After awhile Hermione complained that her feet hurt.

"I hate these bloody shoes," she mumbled as she ripped them off her feet. "I can't walk anymore."

Draco knelt down in front of her. "Jump on my back. I'll give you a ride."

"A piggy back ride? Are you crazy?" she laughed.

"Get on. It'll be fun."

She figured what the hell and just climbed on his back. He lifted her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. She was laughing so hard she couldn't catch her breath.

"We must look like buffoons!" she told him.

"So what?"

He took off running down the street with her on his back and her laughter in his ear.

"Slow down! God, I feel like I'm riding a bloody hippogriff again," she told him.

He stopped running and put her down. He turned to face her and he pulled her towards him and kissed her passionately. He pushed her up against the street post.

"I really just want to go home. Screw dancing. I'd rather be alone with you," he whispered in her ear.

"Alright then. Where's home?" she asked him.

"You mean my place?"

"Yes. I haven't seen it yet."

He took her hand and pulled her down an alleyway where no one could see them. She held onto him tightly as he disapparated them out of there and into his flat. Hermione stumbled backwards a bit, but he caught her. She found herself standing in a stark room filled with black and silver furniture. He had a big screen TV and some kind of video game console sitting in front of it with a controller lying on the floor. It was spacious, but sparsely furnished. There were no knick knacks or pictures of anything. It didn't look like much of a home.

She walked over to the video game machine and picked up the controller. "You play video games?" she asked curiously.

"Oh yeah. Bloody fun. My neighbor got me into it. He couldn't believe it when I told him I'd never heard of a Playstation before. He thought I grew up under a rock. Who knew Muggles had such fun gadgets? You can kill people and blow stuff up and it's all pretend. It's great. Have you ever played?"

She shook her head. "No, I wasn't really into video games. I was more into books growing up."

"Well you missed out too then. We'll have to play sometime. I'll show you."

"I don't really like killing things and blowing them up. I've seen enough of that for one lifetime," she admitted softly.

He looked at her for a moment and felt a little insensitive. But he didn't realize she'd react that way. "I'm sorry. I guess I didn't think. It's all make believe on the game. It's not like real people get hurt."

"I know. I'm not daft. I just don't see the point of pretending to kill people."

"It's the bad guys. You like killing them," he said with a smile.

"I like defeating them, yes," she admitted. "Maybe sometime we'll play and you can show me."

"Alright."

He moved closer to her and pulled her into his arms. "Right now, I'd like to play a different game. A game that involves us without our clothes," he said suggestively, as he kissed her.

"I like that game," she murmured into his kiss.

"Me too."

When they were done, Hermione found herself lying in his king sized bed with satin sheets on them. She'd never been in a bed with satin sheets before. It was slippery. Several times during the course of their coupling she almost fell off the bed. But that didn't detract from how amazing the encounter was. It was even better the second time. Especially since she wasn't feeling guilty anymore. She wasn't cheating on anyone. She was a free agent. And that made all the difference in the world to her. She felt nothing but blissful contentment.

"You really are quite good at that," she murmured into his ear breathlessly.

"So are you." He kissed her hungrily until neither one of them could breathe.

"Stop. It's too much. You're going to kill me," she laughed, pushing him back slightly.

"What a beautiful way to die then," he whispered as he kissed her again. He couldn't get enough of her. He'd never felt this way about anyone before. No one excited him as much as she did. Maybe it was because other girls embarrassed themselves by fawning all over him. It was flattering, surely. But it was boring too. There was no passion. No fire. Hermione had fire. She had no qualms making fun of him or calling him names. She wasn't with him because of who he was. In fact it was quite opposite. She was with him in spite of who he was. That meant everything to him.

He finally rolled off of her and lay down by her side, staring at the ceiling with her. They were silent except for the sound of heavy satisfied breathing. He reached over to his nightstand and picked up his wand. He shot it at the ceiling and hundreds of stars appeared, just like the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall of Hogwarts.

"It's beautiful, Draco," she smiled in the darkness.

"Do you see that constellation over there? The one in the corner?" he asked her.

"Yes, what is it?"

"It's Draco. I was named after it. It's Latin for Dragon."

"I should have known that. I took astronomy."

"Well they didn't talk about all the constellations so you didn't miss it. But there it is," he said pointing up at the ceiling with his wand.

"My name is from Greek mythology."

"Really?"

"Yes. My parents wanted something original. But I always hated my name. People couldn't pronounce it."

"I never had a problem pronouncing it."

She rolled over to look at him. "I don't think you ever called me by my first name even once when we were in school. You didn't do that until I met you again here."

He rolled over and faced her. "I know. I guess I was just waiting for the right moment to say it."

"Well I like hearing you say my name. It sounds good."

He kissed her softly and ran his hand over her bare shoulder. "It doesn't sound as good as when you say my name. I'm used to you sneering the word 'Malfoy' at me. The name Draco sounds like heaven when you utter it."

They just laid there together, snuggled up, while they kissed and looked at each other. They'd run out of words and were just enjoying the way it felt to be together. Finally Hermione spoke.

"Do you really think this between us will work out?" she whispered.

"Yes," he answered surely.

"I saw Harry today," she told him softly.

"Potter? Let me guess. Ron sent him?"

"Uh-huh. He said he'd come to see if I'd gone bonkers. And then he told me that if you ever hurt me, he'd find you and cruciate you."

Draco laughed softly. "Good old Potter. Ever the hero. I don't think he's got it in him to cruciate me."

"Oh really? He's done it before."

"He has? To who?"

"I know he did it to your aunt, but it didn't work that well. But he got better at it. I'd be good if I were you," she told him playfully.

"Potter using unforgivable curses eh? I suppose that's to be expected in a war."

"Have you done it?"

"Yes. But I didn't want to. Voldemort made me do it."

"You tried to use it on Harry once. He told me."

Draco sighed. He didn't really want to talk about this with her. "Yes, I did try. But he didn't let me finish. Instead he shot me with a spell that ripped me to shreds. Actual blood! He tried to kill me."

"He didn't mean to. He didn't know what the spell did," she said, defending her friend.

"Well who goes around shouting out bloody curses that they don't even know what they are? He was a wanker. At least the cruciatus curse doesn't make you bleed to death or leave scars."

"But it still wasn't right you tried to do that," she pointed out.

"I had no choice. I was humiliated. He caught me crying in a fucking bathroom talking to a ghost. What was I supposed to do?"

"If you had just told Harry what was going on, he would have helped you. We all would have. He knew you were up to something, he just didn't know what it was."

"Tell Harry Potter what I was up? Are you mad? Do you know what would have happened to me? To my family? Voldemort would have killed us all."

"We could have protected you. You and your family."

"How?"

"I-I don't know how. But we could have at least tried."

Draco sat up and ran his hands through his messy hair. "Can we please not talk about this anymore? This is all ancient history and what's done is done."

Hermione covered herself up and turned away from him. "Fine."

"What? Now you're mad at me?" he asked with frustration.

"No. I'm not mad. I'm fine."

"Then why did you turn away from me?"

"Because I can't look at you right now. Sometimes I forget. When I'm with you, things are amazing. And I love it. And then suddenly it hits me who you are."

"What's that supposed to mean? I thought you said you forgave me?" he asked quietly.

"I do. It's just hard, that's all. I know you did what you felt you had to do, but I just keep wishing there had been a better way."

"Well there wasn't, Hermione. You think I'm proud of what I did? I'm not, okay? I'm disgusted with myself most days. But I'm trying to forget all that. I thought you were too."

He got up out of the bed and pulled his pants back on.

"Where are you going?" she asked, sitting up, holding the sheet to her chest.

"I'm getting a drink."

Before she could stop him, he'd left the bedroom. The stars disappeared from the ceiling and she was left in darkness. Why did she bring up the past? It was stupid of her. They were having a perfect evening and she went and ruined it. She didn't know why she said anything. But she still had these nagging doubts in her head that this infatuation with Draco was a huge mistake. It felt good while it was happening, but then there were the memories. She wanted so badly to forget them and start over, but she wasn't sure if she could entirely.

She got up and picked up Draco's discarded shirt. She slipped it on and buttoned it up and then she padded down the hallway to the kitchen.

"Draco?" she called out.

He was standing at the counter in the dark with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He didn't answer her at first. But then he turned to her.

"Who says it's gonna be _me_ that hurts _you _anyway?" he whispered sadly.

"What?"

"You heard me. Who says it's going to be _me that _hurts_ you_? If anyone gets hurt in this, I reckon it's probably going to be me," he said taking a gulp of the whiskey.

"You think I'm going to hurt you?" she asked with surprise.

"Yes. You already have such power over me. I'm in so far over my head that I'm practically drowning. And you're still hung up on my past. How long until you realize I'm not good enough for you?" he wondered as he poured another glass of whiskey.

She walked over to him and set the glass down on the counter. She took his hands and held them.

"Draco, stop. You are good enough for me. I'm sorry I brought up bad memories. I don't know what got into me."

"You're having trouble reconciling the person you know now from who I used to be. I get it. I'd probably have trouble too. But I'm not a boy anymore. I'm a man. No one controls me anymore. I do what I want. And I want this, with you."

She touched his face. "I know. I want this too. With you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't be here."

"I love you," he whispered softly. "I've never loved anyone before you."

She kissed him and took his hand. "Let's go back to bed okay?"

"Alright," he relented, as he followed her back down the hall. They crawled into bed and snuggled under the covers and just held each other. Both lost in their own thoughts. He wanted to be the kind of man she deserved and not someone she felt sorry for because he'd made so many mistakes. He didn't want her to want to fix him. He just wanted her to want him, just as he was. To look past the faults and love him anyway. But he wasn't sure she'd ever love him. That might be too much to ask. But he was determined to try and enjoy the time they did have together. At least until it all fell apart in his hands.

The next morning Draco woke up before Hermione. She looked so peaceful sleeping there, he didn't have the heart to wake her. He got up quietly and put on his boxer shorts and nothing else. He wandered out to the kitchen sleepily to try and make some coffee. That was one thing he did learn how to do. When he reached the living room he jumped back and made a startled cry. Someone was sitting on his couch.

"Ahh! What the hell? _Mother_?" he asked, looking at the woman sitting in his living room.

She stood up and looked at him, taking in his disheveled appearance. "Draco. It's nearly eleven. I expected you to be up earlier."

"Mother, what are you doing in my apartment? How did you get in?"

"I let myself in," she said, showing him her wand.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well seeing as how I haven't heard from you in weeks, I figured I better check to see that you were still alive," she told him seriously.

"I'm sorry I haven't talked to you. I've been busy. Look, it's not a very good time for a visit. As you can see, I'm not dressed," he pointed at his clothes challenged state.

"Well go get dressed. We need to speak."

"Mum please. I'll come see you later okay? You need to go," he urged her.

"Why? Am I interrupting something? Are you not alone?" she asked curiously.

"If you must know, no I am not alone. And I really don't fancy my mother being in my living room at the moment."

"Oh Draco, for God's sake. You have a _girl_ in your room?" she asked with disdain.

"Did you think I was celibate Mother?"

"No of course not. But still. Who is she? Some Muggle girl?" she asked with distaste.

"She's not a Muggle."

"Well then who is she?"

"No one. Please just go before she gets up and finds you here. You'll embarrass us all."

"But I want to speak to you. In fact, your father wants to speak to you too."

"What about?"

"It's this little living arrangement you have. He doesn't like it. And you know I don't like it."

"I thought you weren't going to tell him you were giving me money?"

"Well he asked how you were supporting yourself and what was I supposed to say? I couldn't very well lie to him," she told him.

"Yes you could have. You could have told him I had a job or something."

"A job? What sort of job would you have here?" she wondered.

"I don't know. Tell him I work at Tesco for all I care."

"Tesco? What on earth is that?"

"It's a grocery store, Mother."

"A grocery store? Oh my God. Your father would never believe that. He'd forbid such a thing."

"If you're here to make me come home, you're wasting your time. And if you don't want to give me money anymore, then don't. I'll get a job. Maybe at Tesco? And Father can cry about it all he wants because I don't care," Draco said defiantly.

"Honestly Draco, I don't understand you anymore. You're acting crazy. This whole idea of living like a common Muggle is absurd. Come back home where you belong."

"I'm not having this conversation right now. Please just go home. I'll speak with you later and you can berate me all you want. But right now, I have company," he told her with exasperation.

She stared at him and sighed. She wasn't happy about this at all. But as her only son she wanted to give him what he wanted. Even if she didn't understand it. She turned around to go when Hermione came down the hallway.

"Draco? Are you up?" she called out.

"Mother, go!" he shouted at her, trying to get her out of the apartment before Hermione appeared.

He wasn't fast enough. Hermione walked out wearing Draco's shirt and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Narcissa Malfoy standing in front of her.

"Oh my God. I'm sorry. I had no idea you were here," she said quickly as she tried to cover herself up.

"Do I know you?" Narcissa asked curiously.

"No Mother, you don't know her."

"Yes, yes, I do. You look very familiar to me. What's your name?" she asked.

"Um, it's Hermione Granger."

Narcissa bristled when she heard the name. She had been all over the papers after the war. She was one of Harry Potter's friends. A mudblood. She'd been in her home and Bellatrix had tortured her. She'd never forget. She was aghast.

"_Hermione Granger_? What are you doing in my Draco's bed?"

"Uh, I was sleeping?"

Narcissa looked at Draco with astonishment. "_This_ is the girl you were with?"

"Yes."

"But Draco, you can't be serious. She's a—"

"Don't finish that sentence, Mother. I know what she is. And who she is. And it's not really your business if I keep company with her or not."

"It is _so_ my business!"

"I'm just going to leave," Hermione said quietly as she backed out of the room.

"No! Don't leave. My mother was just leaving. Right Mother?"

"We are not done talking, young man. I expect to see you later at home. Either show up or I'm sending your father here to pick you up."

"Please do not send Father."

"Then I expect to see you."

"You will. I promise. Now please go."

Narcissa looked at Draco then at Hermione. She shook her head slightly not understanding the situation.

"At least give your mother a kiss, Draco," she said finally.

Draco went over and kissed her on the cheek. "Goodbye Mum."

"Goodbye Draco." Then she looked at Hermione. "Goodbye Miss Granger."

"Goodbye Mrs. Malfoy. Lovely to meet you," she said through clenched teeth. It was actually the most awkward moment of her life.

Narcissa disapparated and Draco went over to Hermione.

"I'm so sorry. I can't believe my bloody mother showed up here. She didn't even knock! She just appeared. I'm so embarrassed really. That was awful," Draco apologized to her.

"It's alright. I'm sorry if I upset your mother by being here. She didn't seem to like me much."

"Don't worry about her. I can handle her. I just never imagined she'd show up here. She's been here once and that was when I first moved in."

"You're parents are not going to approve of us. Your mother looked like she was about to vomit."

"I don't care. I told you I'd tell them someday. And I guess that day happens to be now. I'll handle it."

"What if they disown you? Cut you off? What will you do?" she wondered.

He leaned over and kissed her. "I'll figure it out. Don't worry. Now would you like some coffee?" he asked.

"You know how to make it properly?" she wondered with a curious look.

"Yes. I do know how to make it. It's easy."

He went over to the coffee maker and set it up to brew. She sat down at the counter and watched him.

She didn't know what was going to happen with the two of them. Things felt so perfect when they were in each others arms, but there were complications to consider. His parents being one of them. Her friends being the other. No one was ever going to understand the two of them together. Maybe not even her. But she was irresistibly drawn to him, like a moth to a flame. He was perhaps the last person on earth she ever imagined herself with, yet watching him do something so simple as to make coffee, made her heart leap. He was absolutely adorable standing there in his boxers watching the coffee drip like it was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. She was taking a huge leap of faith with him. But she didn't see how she could have done anything else.

**Feedback is appreciated! I hope you'll continue to read along!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

Draco steeled himself for the visit with his parents. He hadn't actually been back to the manor in nearly six months. He would only meet up with his mother at public places and had not seen his father since he left home. He knew it was bound to be a chilly evening when he arrived on their doorstep. He let himself into the house and called out for his mother.

"Mother? Are you here?" he asked. "I came, just like I said I would."

It took a moment, but his mother appeared in the foyer to greet him.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't show," she told him as she walked towards him and hugged him.

"I wasn't about to have you send Father after me, so of course I showed up."

"Yes, your father. He was most interested when I told him of the predicament I found you in today."

"You told him?"

"Yes, I did. I thought maybe he could talk some sense into you."

She led him into the living room and he stood there for a moment staring at his father's back as he was facing away from him.

"Hello Father," he said somewhat icily.

Lucius turned to face his son. "Draco. It's been quite awhile. How are you?"

"Very well. But I thought Mum already told you that."

He laughed dryly. "Your mother said she found you with a girl."

"That's right. Is that really so shocking? I am almost twenty not five."

"I don't think the shocking part is that you were with a girl, it was _who_ the girl was," Lucius told him seriously.

"It's not really anyone's business who I keep company with anymore. I'm a grown man."

"Yes, a grown man who has run off to live with common Muggles and still gets money from his mother," he pointed out, walking towards Draco. "I seem to recall me telling you that if you left, you were cut off." He looked pointedly at his wife.

"Lucius I couldn't very well leave the boy stranded in London with nothing. I had to help him." Narcissa pointed out.

"Yes, very well. I understand. You always did coddle the boy."

"Look, if you don't want to give me money, then fine. I'm still going to do the same thing I'm doing now," Draco interjected.

"It's not a matter of money. You're not doing anything with your life, Draco. And really, bedding down with the Granger girl? Have you lost your mind? Her parents are Muggles."

"So what? I actually like Muggles, Father. Maybe you would too if you actually knew any of them," Draco said heatedly.

"Don't be ridiculous. As if I'd start befriending Muggles. Malfoy's don't keep company with Muggles," Lucius scoffed.

"You know, I grew up hating them, just like you always taught me to do. I thought they were lesser somehow. Filthy. Beneath me. And I behaved like an utter prat for most of my life just because you ingrained it in my head that I was entitled to act that way. But it's utterly stupid, Father. People are people. And I'm not buying the party line anymore," Draco told him angrily. "Hermione happens to be one of the finest witches I've ever known. She didn't steal her power. It was bestowed upon her, just like it was bestowed upon us. And why you ever held loyalty to Voldemort, I'll never know. He wasn't even a pureblood himself!"

"Be quiet, boy. Don't say that name in this house again. We are not to speak of him any longer."

"Why? Are you ashamed, Father? Ashamed of what he made you? A helpless, weak, old fool?"

Lucius reached back and smacked Draco hard across the face. "Do not speak to me like that in my own house!"

Draco held his cheek and his mother jumped up and ran to him. "Are you alright, dear?" Then she looked at Lucius. "Do not lay hands on my son in anger!"

Lucius was fuming but he knew better than to tangle with his wife. She was tougher than she looked. And he knew that the only thing she really cared about in the world was Draco. He didn't want to cross her where their son was concerned.

"It's alright Mum. I had that one coming I guess. Seems I hit a nerve," Draco said bitterly as he felt the sting of his fathers hand against his cheek.

"I realize that I made a mistake aligning myself with…him. But I thought it was the right thing at the time. I had no idea he would drag you into it, Draco," Lucius said more calmly, feeling remorse for hurting his son.

"Well he did drag me into it. For some sodding reason he chose me as his golden boy. And you were right proud at first. Like father, like son. You even smiled when they gave me this," he said holding up his sleeve and showing his father the mark.

"I thought you would do great things, Draco. I was mistaken about the weight I actually carried. I'm sorry I didn't protect you better." The words were barely audible because Lucius had a hard time admitting he was wrong about anything.

"I still have time in my life to do great things. They just aren't going to be great evil things. They're going to be good things. You'll see. And maybe someday the Malfoy name will be important again," Draco told his father passionately.

Narcissa put her arm around Draco and held him to her. "I know you'll do great things. I believe in you," she told him proudly.

"You two just need to let me figure out my life on my own. I know you don't approve of me living with Muggles or dating Hermione, but maybe it's actually a good thing for both of you."

"How is it a _good_ thing for _us_?" Lucius wondered unconvinced.

"Think about it, Father. I'm associating myself with one of the great heroes of the war. I'm befriending Muggles. I'm showing the world that the Malfoy's aren't heartless and prejudiced and evil. If Hermione can forgive me for my past, then perhaps maybe the world will give the two of you a chance as well?" Draco explained trying to spin this situation in his favor.

Lucius pondered what his son just told him. It had been true that their family had been shunned by most of their former friends. At least the ones who weren't rotting away in Azkaban. Their name was tainted now. They were branded cowards for running away from the battle and leaving everyone in the dust. They weren't the bad guys, but they were not the good guys either. Far from it. They fled and left everyone else to deal with the mess. They only cared about saving themselves. Perhaps it would be a good thing to show the world a softer side? It went against everything Lucius believed, but had grown tired of living with a tarnished name.

"So what do you propose, son? We invite Mr. Harry Potter over for tea and biscuits and try and convince him we're his friends now?" Lucius asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not. As if Potter would set foot in this house on purpose. I never said I was friendly with _him_. Just Hermione. She's different. She's much more forgiving."

"And she's female. I might imagine you charmed your way into her good graces," Lucius smiled.

"Something like that," Draco admitted with a shrug. "I don't really think Potter wants to sleep with me. And if he does, that's something I'd rather not know about."

"Is that why you're with her, Draco? To save face?" Narcissa asked curiously, wondering if her son actually had a plan or if it was something more.

"No, that's not why I'm with her. It has nothing to do with that. But I'm just trying to show you how it's not a bad thing. So what if she's Muggle born?"

"What do her parents do? Are they doctors?" Lucius asked curiously.

"Dentists."

"Dentists? They clean Muggle teeth? Is there money in that sort of work?"

"Yes, there is. They are like doctors. Just with teeth. Muggles don't have magic to fix up cavities and such."

"But surely they own toothbrushes. Why go to a doctor to have your teeth cleaned?" Narcissa asked, honestly confused about the whole profession.

"I don't know how it works, Mum. I never asked her. Does it really matter?"

"I suppose not," she said.

"At least they aren't farmers or something ridiculous like that," Lucius said with a sigh. "Am I ever going to meet this girl?"

"Do you really want to?"

"If she's keeping company with you, then yes. I want to meet her for myself. Although I still think it'd be better if you courted Astoria. I don't know why you're resisting that. She's very beautiful and she comes from a proper family," Lucius told him.

"I don't care if she's beautiful or comes from a proper family. I don't know her. And I don't care to."

"Very well then. Invite this Granger girl over for dinner."

"I don't want to do that," Draco shook his head. "I don't trust you guys to be civil."

"We'll be civil. For your sake. If you want the money to keep coming, you'll let us into your life instead of shutting us out. I won't have you just up and disappearing without a word for months. I expect you to be a part of this family, no matter where you choose to live," Lucius told him seriously.

"Fine. I'll ask her. But she very well may say no. I wouldn't blame her."

"Just ask her. If she's really so forgiving, she'll say yes," Narcissa reasoned with him.

Draco had no idea what Hermione would think about spending an evening with his parents. He wasn't even sure how he felt about it. But he did want the money to keep coming. He couldn't help that. He wasn't exactly ready to give up his cushy lifestyle. He might have changed a lot since the war, but not entirely. He was still a spoiled rich kid and didn't much want to change that. Someday perhaps he'd make his own fortune, but right now his parents money was all he had. And it afforded him the freedom to do as he wished. He thought for sure his father was going to cut him off for good this time. He was surprised he hadn't. Especially after the way Draco had insulted him. He could handle a smack to the face for that. It wasn't the first time. But his father never stayed angry with him long. On the surface his father seemed like a very cold man, and he certainly could be. But Draco also knew him to be loving and generous and always putting Draco first. It was the reason he couldn't hate him entirely. He had looked up to his father his entire life. He wanted to be just like him. But when Voldemort took over and moved into their house and kept them virtual prisoners, he saw just how broken and weak his father really was. He wasn't really someone to admire back then. Draco's only desire had been to escape his father's fate. He wanted to be better than him. But despite it all, he still loved both his parents. Perhaps he shouldn't. At least not his father. But he still did. And he'd like nothing more than to have his family's approval of his life. He could live without it. And fully expected to. But if it didn't have to be that way, he'd prefer it. If he could have his freedom and his family intact, he'd be very pleased. Now he just had to convince Hermione to come to dinner.

Hermione was lying on the sofa in her apartment absently watching the television as she wondered how Draco's visit with his parents was going. She knew he didn't want to go, but his mother's appearance that morning meant he had no choice. Hermione had been embarrassed beyond belief for his mother to catch her sneaking out of Draco's room wearing nothing but his shirt. It wasn't exactly something she wished his mother to see. And it was quite obvious Narcissa wasn't exactly pleased at who Draco's overnight guest had been. Hermione didn't know what sort of berating he might have coming to him. What if they banned him from seeing her again? That would be dreadful. She wasn't sure how she would handle that if he wasn't allowed to see her anymore. But he was also a grown man. It's not as if they could spank him and lock him in his room. But this was the Malfoy's. They had a dungeon. What if Draco was in the dungeon? Would his parents do that? Were they that criminally insane? She didn't think so. Maybe they kept prisoners before, but certainly not their own flesh and blood. Besides, Draco's mother seemed annoyed but still affectionate towards him. She seriously doubted anything sinister was going on. But her imagination was running wild. She had too much time to think.

Just then there was a knock at her door. She hoped it would be Draco and she jumped up and ran to the door. She pulled it open without looking through the peephole and was very shocked at who stood on her doorstep.

"Ron?" she asked, taken aback.

He was standing there with flowers in his hand and a tentative smile on his face. "Hello Hermione," he said to her softly.

"What are you doing here?"

"I've come to win you back," he announced. He thrust the flowers at her. "These are for you."

"Ron, I can't take them."

"Yes you can. They're your favorite. See, I remembered what you like," he told her somewhat desperately. "I decided that I couldn't just let you walk away. I had to fight for you. So I'm here to fight."

Hermione held her face in her hands and didn't know what to say to him. He was so pathetic and sweet, her heart ached. But it didn't change anything.

"Are you gonna let me in, or do I have to stand here like a fool in your hallway?"

She pulled him into the apartment and shut the door. She took the flowers and put them down on the table. Then she faced him.

"Look Ron, I'm really sorry. But my mind is made up. There's nothing to fight for. It's over between us. I thought you understood?" she explained.

"No, I don't accept that. I can't. I still love you," he told her seriously. "And I talked to Harry and he said to not give up. He told me to win you back. So here I am."

"Harry told you to do that? Why would he tell you that? I made it quite clear to him that I'd made my choice."

"I don't know. He thinks you're just going through a rough patch. Attracted to a bad boy just because you're rebelling. He said it was probably a phase and I shouldn't give up."

Hermione sighed and shook her head. "Harry might have meant well, but I'm not rebelling or going through a phase. This is who I am. And even if Draco wasn't in the picture, I'm afraid my decision would still be the same."

"It would?"

"Yes."

"So this isn't about him having some kind of sinister attraction that girls can't resist?"

"No. It's not that at all," she explained to him. "I was already feeling this way before I met up with Draco again. It's just that being with him propelled me into action. I was scared to let you go before. But then after Draco…well, I knew I had to be strong. I had to let you go. But you know I'll always care for you deeply."

"Care for me deeply? What good is that?" he muttered unhappily.

"You shouldn't have come here. I already said all I can say to you. And I'm sorry."

"I knew I shouldn't have listened to Harry," he said with irritation. "I told him I hated you now, but he said I didn't mean it. And he was right. I don't. But I should!"

"Maybe you should? I don't know."

"I don't know if I could ever hate you really," he admitted sadly.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did."

"I just wanted another chance. You left so quickly. It was all a mess. I just thought maybe…"

"I'm sorry." It was all she could say. She hated what she was doing to him, but it had to be done. She just wished he hadn't come by.

"Alright then. I'll leave. I won't bother you again. I get the picture," he told her trying to keep his anger in check.

She picked up the flowers and tried to hand them back. "Take these."

"Keep them. I don't want them. They only remind me of you," he said bitterly as he turned around and stormed out the door.

She sat down on the sofa and held the flowers. He was right. They were her favorite. But it still wasn't enough to make her love him the way he deserved to be loved. She'd give anything to be his friend again though. She wished she'd never entered into a romantic relationship with him. She should have kept it platonic, like with Harry. But she really did think she felt more for him. She _did_ feel more. It just didn't last. And for that she was sad. But she had someone else that she really loved being with. Someone who made her feel things she never felt with Ron. Her mind told her that Ron was the right choice for her, but her heart felt differently. And she couldn't change her heart. She had always followed her head in life and it had served her well enough. She was logical and smart. But love wasn't brains. It was something else. Something deeper. Something inside her blood. She couldn't go against it.

She was also feeling a bit miffed at Harry for putting that idea into Ron's head. What was he thinking telling him those things and telling him to fight? She thought she had made herself perfectly clear to him. She supposed Harry was still having trouble accepting her decision just as much as Ron was. But she was angry because he set Ron up to be hurt all over again. She decided to go see him and give him a piece of her mind. She grabbed her wand and put her shoes on and disapparated to Harry's house. She appeared on the front walkway and made her way up the steps. She pounded on the door loudly. The door opened and there stood Ginny. Hermione smiled at her, but Ginny just gave her a glare.

"Oh, it's you," she said with disdain.

"Ginny? What kind of greeting is that?" Hermione asked her, feeling a bit hurt.

"What sort of greeting would you expect from me? You shattered my brother's heart. And for that Malfoy boy? Ugh," Ginny said making a face.

Hermione should have known Ginny would not be welcoming of her, but honestly the thought hadn't occurred to her. They had been friends. She was Harry's girlfriend. But she sort of forgot for a moment she was also Ron's sister.

"Can I see Harry please?" Hermione asked, trying to ignore Ginny's current distaste for her.

"Fine," she said coolly. "Harry? You have a visitor!" she shouted into the back of the house. Then she just left the door open and walked away.

Hermione stood there and didn't know if she was actually welcome inside the house or she should just wait on the steps. She decided to just stand there and wait for Harry. He came to the door and seemed surprised to see her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her curiously.

"I came to see you. Am I even welcome here? Ginny seems to hate me now."

"Don't mind her. She'll get over it. She's just a bit torn up that you aren't joining her family after all. She thought of you like a sister."

"Well I'm still the same person. Doesn't she know I didn't mean to hurt her brother?"

"Of course she knows that. But does that make it hurt less?"

"Well whatever. I'm not here to talk about Ginny anyway. I'm here to ask you why you told Ron I was going through a bad boy phase. Why would you tell him that?" she demanded.

He shrugged, "I don't know. I thought maybe you were. Girls like bad boys. Don't they?"

"I don't know."

"Well I figured that was the only reason you were dating you know who."

"_You know who_? You make it sound as if I'm dating Lord Voldemort.. You can't even say his name?"

"I don't really _want_ to say his name. I was just trying to figure out what the attraction was. And I figured sometimes girls are drawn to dark mysterious types."

"Maybe some of them are. But that's not what this is. I never told you anything of the sort."

"I just assumed. I mean, why else would you be doing this? Besides, Ron was crying on my shoulder asking what he should do. I didn't know what to tell him. I had to say something!"

"Did you tell him to fight for me?"

"Not exactly in those words. But I told him not to give up hope. I mean, there's always hope right?" Harry said expectantly.

Hermione sighed. "You shouldn't have told him that. There's no hope. Not in this case. I tried to make a clean break and you went and put ideas in his head. I had to break his heart all over again."

"I wasn't trying to do that. I just didn't know what to tell him. I've never had my heart broken. I was trying to be a good friend. Plus part of me hoped you'd think on it and change your mind."

"I won't. But if I do, I'll tell Ron that myself. Stop trying to be such a good friend and just let him hate me," she said sadly.

"He doesn't really hate you though. He said he did, but then he sort of, well, cried a lot and I didn't know what to do with him. He wouldn't stop."

"I'm an evil shrew," Hermione said unhappily as she sat down on the steps and held her head in her hands.

Harry closed the door and sat down next to her. He put his arm around her. "You're not an evil shrew."

"Yes I am," she cried.

"Look, Ron is my best friend. But so are you. I can't choose between you two. I need to stay neutral. Like Switzerland."

"I'm sorry you're in the middle of this Harry."

"It's okay. It's not like you've never been in the middle of a row between me and Ron before too. It happens. I meant what I told you before. We're still friends. Even if I think you're a little batty right now."

"I'm not batty," she pouted.

"You have to admit this came out of left field. I think everyone's just in shock. It'll settle down."

"Do you think Ginny will ever speak to me again?" she wondered.

"I'm sure she will. Eventually. She's kind of stubborn though. It might take a bit. I'll work on her," he assured her.

"Thanks."

Harry was silent for a moment and then he looked Hermione in the eyes. "Are you absolutely sure that this is worth it?"

She returned his intense gaze. "I have to follow my heart. You'd do the same wouldn't you?"

Harry thought for a moment and nodded his head. "I suppose I would. If I loved someone enough. Do you love him?"

Hermione didn't know how to answer that. She wasn't sure. Draco said he loved her, but she wasn't quite convinced that it wasn't just mad infatuation on both their parts. She didn't know if she knew enough about him to love him yet. She was confused. She just knew she felt like she had to be with him.

She looked at Harry and whispered, "I don't know yet, but I think I could love him. I have to find out."

Harry didn't know what to say to that. He didn't approve. But he loved Hermione. He wanted her happy. But he also wanted Ron to be happy. He was torn. But he felt like he had no choice but to support Hermione. Everyone else was shunning her, with rightful reasons. She needed him. Right now he was her only friend. And they'd been through way too much together for him to turn his back on her now.

He gave her a squeeze and picked her up off the step. "It's gonna be alright. Just go and be happy okay? I need at least one of my friends to be happy."

She wiped her eyes and smiled at him. "I love you Harry."

"I know. I love you too," he smiled back at her.

She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes again. "Alrighty then, I'm going. I don't want Ginny chucking things out the window at me for keeping you out here too long."

Harry laughed. "She may do that. So it's probably safer for you if you left now. But we'll see each other again. Just maybe when she's gone?"

"Deal."

He watched her turn around and walk to the end of the walkway. She waved at him and disappeared into the night. She arrived back inside her flat and sat back down on the sofa with Crookshanks. She was feeling a bit lost at the moment. Her decisions were turning her life into turmoil around her. She had only wanted to find peace and ended up starting another war. Just a different type of war. That had never been her intention. She just wished Draco would show up. She wasn't sure if he would. He said he might. But he didn't know how late he'd be with his parents. It was only seven but it felt much later. She was tired. Seeing Ron and Harry and Ginny had drained her. Plus her worry about what was going on at Draco's house. She decided she wanted a drink to relax her. So she got up and poured herself a glass of wine and curled back up on her couch. She ended up dozing off with the glass in her hand and she was startled awake when Draco apparated into her living room. She jumped up and spilled the wine all over herself.

"Shit! Bloody fucking hell!" she cried out as she tried to wipe herself down with a blanket.

"Well hello to you too," Draco smiled at her, amused. "I thought you said you never swore?"

"Oh shut up. I lied about that. And you'd swear too if you just spilled red wine all over your white cashmere sweater!"

"Relax love, I'll buy you a new one," he told her as he walked over and put his hands on her shoulders. "Did you miss me?"

She smiled up at him, despite her irritation. "Yes, actually I did. Quite a lot. How did it go? Was it horrible?"

He sat down on the sofa and sighed as he ran his hands through his hair. "Well it could have been worse. My father only smacked me upside the head once, so that's a plus."

"He _smacked_ you? For real?" she was aghast.

"I have that effect on people, remember? Sometimes my big mouth just opens and venom spews out. And then I get hit in the face."

"Did he hurt you?"

"Nah, not really. I'm fine. Father was actually quite agreeable for the most part. It was weird. He made a few threats and waved his cane at me a few times, but then he said he wanted to meet you."

"Meet _me_? Why?"

"Because my mum told him we were shagging. He was horrified of course. He still wants me to 'court' Astoria, as he put it. But when I told him to shove it, he said he wanted to invite you to dinner."

"Dinner? With your parents?" She was not sure how she felt about that one. Especially after the chilly reception she received from Narcissa when she caught Hermione in Draco's shirt.

"I know it sounds dreadful and probably boring. But they've agreed to let me stay living here and have my freedom, as long as I come around and be part of the family once in awhile. And since you and I are seeing each other now, they want to get to know you."

"But they're going to hate me. They already hate me. Draco, I don't know if I want to go over there," she told him with a grim look.

"I promise they'll be nice. Or at least civil. I really don't want my father to cut off the money because I'd be bloody well fucked if he did. I have no skills in the Muggle world to get a job. And I don't fancy living in a cardboard box outside the liquor store."

"You're very spoiled, Draco."

"I know. But what's wrong with that? I said I'd get a job someday."

"Meeting me is the only way they're going to give you the money?" she asked curiously.

"Yes, it's part of it. They want to be a part of my life. And you happen to be in that life. So yes. Please?"

She sighed. "Oh alright. But if this is disastrous don't blame me."

"I won't."

Draco hoped it wouldn't be disastrous. He hoped his parents could see past stupid things like bloodlines and just get to know Hermione for who she was. But he wasn't quite sure if that was possible or not.

"You owe me big time for this, Draco. I'm putting myself on the chopping block by setting foot in your house again."

"Well it has to be better than the last time you were there," he reminded her.

"I should bloody well hope so," she scoffed. "I honestly never wanted to see the inside of that place again."

Draco dropped his head and looked at his hands. "I'm sorry. I should have realized you didn't want to go there because of before."

"It's okay. I can handle it. At least I know your crazy aunt won't show up because she's thankfully dead."

"My mother is nothing like her. They may have been sisters but that doesn't mean anything."

"I know. Your mother seems a bit aloof towards me, but I trust she's not insane. It's more your father I'm worried about."

"Don't worry about him either. I'll be right there with you. And if it's horrible, we'll leave. Promise."

"I already said I'd go. For you, I'll do it."

He leaned over and kissed her. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me. If it means this much to you then I'll endure it. I'll even smile a lot."

Draco kissed her again and then he pulled back and noticed the flowers sitting on the coffee table. He reached over and picked them up.

"Who gave you these?" he asked with extreme curiosity.

"Don't even ask," she grumbled.

"Of course I'm going to ask. Who gave them to you? Do I have competition?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, it's not like that. They're from Ron. He came over here tonight to try and win me back," she sighed.

"Win you back? As if you're the Quidditch cup that I stole from him?"

"Something like that. But obviously it didn't work."

"Well I don't like these. They need to go," he said gruffly. He pulled out his wand and said, "Incendio!" The flowers burst into flames and disintegrated.

Hermione jumped up and yelled, "What the hell are you doing? You're going to set my apartment on fire!"

"The flames are already out. I just didn't want to see those bloody flowers anymore," he said feeling irritated at knowing Ron had visited her to win her back. What if he had succeeded?

"You didn't have to set them on fire. You could have just thrown them away."

"Yeah, but this is better. No trace left behind."

"Except these ashes. Look at this mess. First the wine and now ashes everywhere?"

Draco waved his wand over the mess and the ashes disappeared. "Happy now? I cleaned it up."

"Are you pissed off that Ron came here?" she asked noting his change of demeanor.

"I'm not exactly pleased."

"Are you jealous?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course not. Why would I be? You left him for me. I'm the victor here."

"Well then why do you have that scowl on your face?"

"I'm not scowling."

"Yes, you are. I've seen you scowl a million times so I recognize it."

He groaned and looked at her. "Fine. I'm a little worried okay? Not jealous."

"Worried? About what?"

"About him winning you back. What if it worked? What if you realized the mistake you made?" he asked her.

"I did not make a mistake."

"Well I'd prefer it if he didn't come around. You have history. Memories. Things I can't compete with."

"You're not competing with him. I left him for you, Draco. You said so yourself. I chose you. Besides Ron and I were in trouble long before you came along. You just made me realize it was time to put a dying horse down," she told him sincerely. "Besides, he won't be coming around again. I made it very clear to him that it was over."

"I thought you made it clear to him the first time?"

"Well so did I, but Harry talked some rubbish and gave Ron the idea I could be won back."

"I knew Potter would stick his nose in this. Why does he have to try to save everyone? Why can't he just go away and mind his own bloody business?"

"He was just trying to be a good friend to Ron. I already talked to him. It's handled. So stop looking like that. You're much more handsome when you're smiling," she told him as she touched his leg.

He looked over and smiled just for her. "There, is that better?" he asked.

"Much better. But I know you're faking it. I bet I could put a real smile on your face," she told him as she leaned over and kissed him.

"That seems to be working," he smiled genuinely at her. "Keep doing that."

And she did. At least until they ended up in her bedroom and then Draco was really smiling. But so was she. Every time with him was more incredible than the last. She had no idea how that was possible, but she was glad that she knew the Muffilato charm or else her neighbors would hate her. She'd never been one to make much noise during sex, but she couldn't seem to stop herself when Draco was working his magic on her. Oh yeah, she thought to herself, this is definitely worth it.

Ron marched through the halls of the Ministry, heading for Harry's office. He was on a mission. His heart was shattered into tiny pieces but he was done crying about it. It was time he did something about it. Something that would make him feel better. He burst through Harry's door and startled him.

"Ron? What are you doing here? And why do you look like that?" Harry asked curiously.

"I wanna know where Malfoy is. I need you to find him for me," Ron said with determination and fire in his voice.

Harry sighed and slumped back in his chair. "I can't do that for you," he told him.

"Why not? It's your job to track down former Death Eaters and he's a bloody Death Eater. I know you can find him for me."

"But he's not wanted for anything. They pardoned him. I can't just go traipsing off after an innocent man."

"He's not fucking innocent. He tried to kill Dumbledore! He let Death Eaters into the school! He tried to kill us in the Room of Requirement!"

"That wasn't Draco. That was Crabbe," Harry reminded him.

"Same diff. Draco was there. He wasn't exactly innocent. Still think you should have left him there to burn," Ron muttered bitterly.

"I wasn't going to let him burn. It wasn't his fault Crabbe set the Fiendfyre."

"What, are you his bloody best mate now? Defending him to me? I thought you were on my side!" he shouted.

"Ron, calm down. I am on your side. I detest Draco Malfoy. Believe me. But Hermione is with him now. I'm not finding where he lives just so you can go after him. It wouldn't be right. Besides, he'd probably hurt you," Harry pointed out.

"Hurt me? You think he's gonna hurt _me_? I'm gonna bloody annihilate him before he gets the chance!"

"What will that solve? Hermione broke up with you. Going after Malfoy isn't going to make her love you again. If anything, it'll do the opposite," Harry tried to reason with him. "Now just sit down and be calm. Take a deep breath."

"I don't want to take a deep breath. I want to hurt him. I want him to suffer the way I'm suffering. It's his fault this happened. Hermione says it's not, but she's lying. If not for him, she'd still be with me."

Harry didn't know what to do. Once again he was caught up in the middle. But this time, he knew Ron was making a mistake. He hated the idea of Draco with Hermione just as much as the next guy, but trying to attack him wasn't going to accomplish anything. It would just cause trouble.

"You don't know what sort of dark magic Draco knows. You don't want to go up against him alone. Or at all," Harry told him.

"You don't think I'm good enough to beat him?"

"I think you're plenty good enough. You're a fine wizard. You know that. But you're pissed off and not thinking clearly. And the whole idea is just going to backfire in your face. If you go after him and you hurt him, what do you think Hermione is going to do? She's going to flip out."

"What if he hurts me first? Then maybe she'd see he hasn't changed. Did you think about that?" Ron asked heatedly.

"So you want to go on a suicide mission just to prove Malfoy is still evil? That's a brilliant idea," Harry said sarcastically.

"I have to do something, Harry. I can't just sit back and let him take the only thing I care about. You have to help me. Find him for me. I won't tell anyone you helped me. I just need to confront him," Ron pleaded with him.

Harry sighed and shook his head. The truth was, he already knew where Draco was. When he found out Hermione was with him, he did a little digging. Draco's mother had rented a flat in London nearly a year ago. And it was a safe bet she wasn't living in it. But he knew if he told Ron the whereabouts, it would be a huge mistake. But he wanted to help Ron get his vengeance too. He would like nothing better than to see Draco actually suffer a little for the damage he did back during the war. He had gotten away scot free. But it wasn't his place to punish him. And it wasn't Ron's place either. He didn't know what to do.

"Harry, come on. I'm your best mate. Help me out here. I just want to talk to him. At least let me do that," Ron pleaded.

"Talk to him?"

"Yes."

"Fine, then give me your wand first," Harry told him as he held out his hand.

"My wand? Are you mad? Do you think Draco doesn't have his wand?"

"No, I'm sure he does. But if all you want to do is talk, you don't need it."

"I'm not going unarmed. What if he attacks me?"

"Good point. Which is why you shouldn't go. Now please just drop this crazy idea. I can't help you."

"You _won't_ help me. There's a difference."

"Alright, listen. I kind of sort of know where he is. I wrote it down in my file folder here. And I'm going to go to the loo and whatever you may see while I'm gone, I had nothing to do with it. I couldn't stop you. I didn't help you. I know nothing. Got it?" Harry said finally, knowing this was probably a huge mistake.

"So you want me to snoop through your files?"

"I didn't say that. But what you do in here while I'm gone? Well I won't know about it will I?"

Ron nodded his head. "Thanks Harry."

"Don't thank me. I didn't do anything. And for what it's worth, I hope you don't do anything with the information. Think about it first before you do something crazy."

Harry walked out of his office and went down the hall. He went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face. What did he just set in motion? He was an idiot. Ron was an idiot. This whole thing was going to make everything worse. But he understood Ron's need to confront the man whole stole his girl. Especially because it was Malfoy. But he knew that if Hermione knew what he did, she'd never speak to him again. He was meddling. He was sending Ron off to either get himself hurt or make a right fool of himself. Either way, it wasn't going to end well. But he was just trying to do right by his friend. Ron would do it for him. He knew that. He just hoped it wasn't going to spell disaster.

**Feedback is appreciated! I hope you'll continue to read along!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

Ron had found the address Harry had written down in his folder. He copied it down and shoved it in his pocket and left quickly before Harry came back. He realized he was marching into a battle that could have dire consequences, but he didn't care. At first he'd just hated Hermione for breaking up with him. But that feeling faded, because he loved her too much to hate her. That's when all his hatred and venom turned towards Draco. He'd always hated him. And now he _really_ hated him. He still wasn't convinced he didn't put Hermione under some kind of love spell or something. He wouldn't put it past him. It just made no sense. Hermione had always hated Malfoy too. She never had a kind word for him and didn't much give him a second thought. Why would it be different now? Because he'd supposedly changed? Ron didn't buy it. A leopard doesn't change it's spots. He was doing this for Hermione, just as much as he was doing it for himself. He didn't want to see her get hurt. And Malfoy was trouble. He would hurt her. Ron was sure of it. And he didn't want to give him that chance.

He apparated himself into a London alleyway, not far from Hermione's place. Draco was close by. He wasn't that familiar with London but he had a map. And it told him just where to find Draco's building. He walked quickly before he could lose his nerve, fuming the whole way. He didn't want to lose the fire that propelled him along on this mission. He was going to make sure Draco regretted ever crossing him. He wasn't sure what he was gonna do yet, but he'd figure it out when he got there. He approached the building and went upstairs in the lift. Draco was on the top floor. He walked down the hallway and found his door. He put his hand in his pocket and clutched his wand tightly before he pounded on the door.

Draco was sitting on his sofa playing video games when he heard the pounding at his door. He wasn't expecting company. Hermione was at work and she always just apparated inside his flat. She never used the door. And neither did his mother. Was it his father? He doubted that. His parents had no reason to pop by because he'd agreed to the dinner. He decided to just ignore it. But it wouldn't stop. It just kept getting more persistent until he heard someone shout at him through the door.

"Open up Malfoy! I know you're in there!" Ron shouted.

Draco got up and looked out the peephole. Great, he thought. It was the Weasel. How the hell did he find him? And more importantly, what the hell did he want? Draco opened the door quickly and stared at Ron.

"Will you keep your voice down? I have neighbors, you know," he said with annoyance.

Ron just pushed him back and marched into the room and slammed the door behind him. Draco just stared at him with amusement. Was he supposed to be scared, he wondered?

"What can I do for you, Weaselbee?"

"You could start by giving me my life back, you stupid fucker."

"Give you your life back? You look plenty alive to me," Draco pointed out.

"You know what I mean. You took Hermione from me. I don't know what you did to her or how you convinced her to drop me for you, but undo it. Undo it now or else you'll be sorry," Ron told him angrily as he pulled out his wand and aimed it at Draco.

Draco just looked at him and didn't react. Didn't this moron ever give up? Did he really think he was going to be afraid of him?

"Put your wand down, Weasley. I'm not going to fight you. And I didn't do a bloody thing to Hermione. Nothing except get to know her and talk to her. It's not my fault she fell for me."

Ron didn't put his wand down. He just moved closer to Draco, trying to intimidate him. "I want her back. She's too smart to just fall for you because you told her some sob story about how Voldemort made you do bad things. You chose a side and it was the wrong one. Own up to it like a man and stop acting all tortured and mysterious."

Draco turned his back on Ron and went to the kitchen. He poured himself a glass of whiskey and took a sip. Then he reached over on the counter and grabbed his wand. He calmly walked over to Ron and pointed it at his throat.

"Get out of my house. Now. Don't make me hurt you," he said icily.

"Hurt me? You can't hurt me anymore than I'm already hurting. Go ahead, Malfoy. Do your best," Ron said, dropping his wand hand down and surrendering.

Draco considered this for a moment. An invitation to hurt Weasley? It'd be hard to pass that up. But he thought better of it.

"Right. I get it now. I get pissed and throw some curses at you and bloody you up a bit. Then you go run to Hermione and tell her what an evil bastard I am. Nice plan. But it won't work. I said I wasn't going to fight you," Draco told him, lowering his own wand.

"Well you're stupid then," Ron told him as he raised his wand and shot the Levicorpus spell at Draco.

Draco flew through the air and hung suspended upside down by his ankle. He was startled momentarily but then he only laughed.

"Nice one. I'm really quaking in my boots now, Weasley. How will I ever get out of this mess?" Draco said dryly, right before he shot his own curse at Ron. He stupefied him and Draco fell back down to the ground, but he righted himself quickly.

He stood over Ron and stared down at him. Ron just laid there staring up at Draco with blank eyes. The spell had rendered him useless.

"I could have done a lot worse you know," Draco told him with a sigh. "But you see, I'm a changed man."

The spell started wearing off and Ron tried to get up again. Draco aimed his wand and shot a non verbal body bind curse at Ron, rendering him unable to move.

"Not so fast. We need to have a few words. Now that I have your undivided attention, let me explain a few things to you," Draco told him as he twirled his wand between his fingers. "I love Hermione. And I think she might love me. I don't know yet. I'm still working that one out. But I did not put a spell on her. She's with me because she wants to be. And I'm sorry, but she's mine now. You lost her. And I found her. And frankly, you just need to get over it because this is pathetic. Even for you."

Ron stared at him blankly, because it was all he could do. He was paralyzed. But he heard every word. And it started to sink in. There wasn't anything he could do to get her back. She was gone.

Draco sighed and lifted the body bind curse. He sat down on the sofa and watched as Ron struggled to get to his feet again. When he did, he still had his wand pointed at Draco. He still wanted to hurt him. But he had only had the guts to shoot some stupid levitating curse at him. He should have used something better but he said the first thing that came to his mind. But right now he was remembering the spell Harry had used on Draco in the bathroom. Sectumsempra. That would hurt him for sure. It was right on the tip of his tongue as he stared Draco down, annoyed by how unaffected he was by his presence. But he couldn't do it. Ron just didn't have it in him to do it. Harry was right when he said that if he hurt Malfoy, Hermione would freak out and probably hate him. He'd already lost her. He couldn't incur her wrath. Plus he just wasn't the type of wizard that could knowingly hurt someone like that. Even if it was his worst enemy. Ron finally lowered his wand and gave up.

"Fine Malfoy. You win. I give up. I don't even know why I came here," Ron said with defeat.

"I don't know why you came here either. How did you find me anyway?"

Ron shrugged. "I have my ways. But it doesn't matter because I don't have the fucking guts to hurt you the way I want to. It would only make Hermione mad."

Draco got up and went to the kitchen again and picked up the glass of whiskey. He walked over and handed it to Ron. "Drink up. It'll numb the sting of rejection a bit."

"I don't want your whiskey," he said putting it down on the table. "It's probably poisoned."

"You watched me pour it. I didn't poison it."

"I wouldn't put it past you."

"I told you, I'm a changed man. Believe it or not, people can actually feel remorse for their actions and do something about it."

"So I'm supposed to believe you're one of the good guys now?"

"Hermione thinks I am," Draco pointed out.

"She's delusional. I've got your number. You may have won this time, but I have my eye on you. Hurt her and I will come back and next time I won't be merciful. I _will_ hurt you."

"Got it. Potter threatened to cruciate me if I hurt her. And what do you have in mind for me?"

"Sectumsempra," Ron said strongly.

Draco's eyes narrowed and he shook his head. "You wouldn't dare."

"I would. I almost did it right here. Right now."

"Fine. If I hurt her, you can slice me up like a Christmas ham. I don't care," Draco told him. "And if you're not drinking this," he said picking up the glass of whiskey, "then get the fuck out of my apartment. Now."

Ron stared him down for another moment, then he just turned on his heel and stormed out of the room. He slammed the door as hard as he could and then he took off, cursing himself for not even making a dent in Draco's ego. He hadn't changed. He was still a git. Just because he didn't actually harm him didn't make him good. But he gave up. Hermione was on her own. If she trusted this guy, then that was her fault for being naïve. Ron would just sit back and wait for Draco to inevitably screw up. And then maybe Hermione would come back to him? It was his only option now. To just wait.

Draco met up with Hermione at her flat before they were to go to dinner at his parents. He sat on her sofa as she rushed around trying to figure out what she wanted to wear.

"I told you, love, the outfit you had on before looked fine," he called out to her.

"But it makes me look frumpy. I want to look better than that," she called back to him.

"It's just my parents. They don't care what you wear."

"Of course they do. If I look ridiculous they will only hate me more."

Draco sighed and petted the cat. Hermione was really stressing out about this dinner. So much so, he didn't have the heart to tell her that Ron had come by his place earlier. He didn't think she needed to know about it. At least not right now. It would only upset her further, so he kept it to himself.

"We're going to be late," he called down the hallway.

"I'm almost ready!"

A few moments later she walked out wearing a blue dress with matching shoes. It wasn't fancy, but it was nice. She stood there waiting for his reaction and he smiled at her.

"That looks perfect," he told her.

She held up a strand of pearls against her neck, "Pearls or no pearls? Are pearls pretentious? Or do they say I'm sophisticated and grown up?"

"I'd say it's all of the above. Remember my parents like pretentious things," he chuckled slightly.

"Right. Pretentious. It's a good thing. I'll wear the pearls." She fastened them around her neck and then took a deep breath. "I'm really nervous. Perhaps I should drink a shot of something first? Or take a soother? I might pass out."

"It's going to be fine. Besides my parents have liquor. The really good stuff. My father drinks 100 year old bottles of Cognac."

"Doesn't it go bad after a hundred years?" she wondered.

"No, it makes it better. One bottle costs more than your apartment probably."

"Oh God. What if I don't use the proper fork for something?" she thought suddenly.

"Will you please calm down? My parents know your family is Muggle. They know you're not rich. They don't expect you to act like someone you're not. And I don't want you to. I want you to be Hermione Granger. I want them to see in you what I see in you," he told her sincerely as he went over and kissed her forehead.

"Alright, alright. I'm being silly. I just want to make a good impression. I know they think Muggles are beneath them and they probably expect me to eat with my hands and burp at the table. I just want to show them I'm not like that."

"They already know you're not like that. Let's just go, okay? Before you have a nervous breakdown. And just remember. Be yourself. You're perfect."

She smiled at him and gave him a kiss. "Thank you."

He took her hand and they disapparated to Malfoy Manor. They couldn't actually enter the grounds because his father had charms set up against intruders. But they did manage to land at the gate. Draco spoke some Latin words into the mouth of a gargoyle perched on the gate and it opened right up.

"What did you just do?" she asked him.

"I unlocked the gate. You can't get in unless you know the password."

"What was the password?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," he smirked at her.

She made a face at him and shook her head. "Let's just get this over with."

They marched up the long driveway towards the front door. Hermione stopped short when she noticed something big and white moving across the lawn.

"What is that?" she asked, pointing into the darkness.

"It's a bloody peacock. My father keeps them as pets."

"A peacock? I've never seen a white one before."

"They're everywhere. But luckily they don't bite," he laughed.

Hermione just shook her head and kept walking. They got to the door and Draco opened it up and ushered them inside. The place looked different than Hermione remembered. Although she had only really seen the drawing room and not much else. The place was quite beautiful, but she feared to touch anything. It all looked like a museum to her.

"You actually grew up in this house?" she asked quietly.

"Yes."

"Were you ever allowed to play with anything or were they afraid you'd break some priceless treasure lying around?"

"I played often enough. Mostly outside. Plus my room wasn't filled with priceless treasures. It was filled with toys."

She tried to imagine a little Draco running around this house as a small boy. She couldn't picture it.

They walked into the living room and both his parents were sitting there with glasses of some sort of liquor in their hands.

"Draco, you made it. And not a moment too soon. We were just enjoying a brandy before dinner," Lucius told his son. He stood up and walked towards the pair. "You must be Hermione Granger then?" he asked looking her up and down.

"Yes. Yes, I am." She held out her hand to him and he shook it lightly.

"You've met my wife, Narcissa, I hear."

"Yes we've met. It was quite embarrassing actually," Hermione admitted as she looked at her feet.

"Don't be embarrassed dear. We're all grown ups here," Narcissa smiled. "Would you two like a brandy?"

Draco nodded and Hermione figured she'd just go along with it. She'd never had brandy before and knew she probably wouldn't like it. But she'd drink it anyway.

Lucius poured the drinks and handed them over. Then he sat back down and motioned for the two of them to find their seats. They sat together on a sofa and quietly sipped the brandy. It burned Hermione's throat going down, but she rather liked the fuzzy feeling it gave her afterwards.

"So what is it you do, Miss Granger? Lucius asked her. "My Draco here doesn't do anything."

"Father…"

"Well it's true isn't it? You loaf about, sponging off of us. I'm sure your companion has chosen to do something else with herself."

"I work in a bookshop," Hermione told them. "Just for now anyway. I was offered several positions at the Ministry, but I wasn't quite ready to settle down into a career."

"The Ministry? Very impressive. I do remember Draco telling me once that you were quite smart. Beat him in all his classes."

Hermione laughed slightly. "Well yes, I did do well in school. I worked very hard."

"So did I," Draco remarked.

"Yes, well, the Ministry wasn't exactly offering you up a position now were they?" Lucius shot back.

"Is that where you'd like me to work, Father?"

"It would be a fine choice. Good for the family name. A Malfoy working at the Ministry would do wonders."

"I'm sure someday it might be an option," Hermione interjected. She really had no idea if Draco stood a chance at a job like that. Not without completing his education. She was only offered because of her role in the war. But she wasn't going to bring that up.

"So why are you living in London? Draco says you're a brilliant witch. Why would you move to London?"

"I just needed a break after everything that happened. I wanted to go back to my roots I guess," Hermione answered quietly.

"Draco wanted to pretend he wasn't a Malfoy. It seems we've shamed him. But such is life. You make a few bad decisions and suddenly your own son deserts you."

"Will you please attempt to be nice, Lucius?" Narcissa interjected. Her husband was using every opportunity he could to admonish Draco and put him down. She wouldn't stand for it. Especially not with company there.

"You're right, Cissy. Forgive me. We're not here to talk about our son. We're here to meet Miss Granger."

"Well you've met me. I don't know what else there is to tell," Hermione said feeling unsure of herself.

"Is dinner almost ready?" Draco asked, sensing the tension in the air. His family had nothing to talk about that wasn't a jab at him.

"Yes, I do believe it's ready. Let's go to the dining room, shall we?" Narcissa said, getting up from her chair.

Draco and Hermione followed them into the dining room. Draco leaned over and whispered to her, "See, my father is more mad at me than he is at you. I think he likes you more than me right now."

"I don't know. He's not very pleasant," she whispered back. Not that she expected him to be pleasant. She knew enough about him to realize that the word pleasant was never used to describe Lucius Malfoy.

They sat down at the table and a house elf appeared instantly.

"Would Master and his guests like some wine?" the elf asked.

"Yes, I think we would, Tippy. Do bring the bottle I purchased this afternoon."

"Right away Master," Tippy said as she disapparated quickly.

"You still have house elves?" Hermione asked with a slight tone of annoyance in her voice.

"Of course. Why wouldn't we?" Lucius laughed slightly as if it were an absurd question.

"You know when I was in school I started a group petitioning for house elf rights. It was called S.P.E.W."

"Spew? What does that mean?" Lucius asked curiously.

"The Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."

"Sounds…interesting."

"I didn't think it was right that house elves were treated unfairly and didn't get paid. And some of them were often abused. Like Dobby," she said pointedly.

"Dobby? That old elf? The one Harry Potter stole from me?"

"He didn't steal him. He set him free. You were cruel to him anyway. He eventually got a job at Hogwarts where they actually paid him," she said with a smug look.

"Paid him? House elves don't want to be paid. They enjoy serving their masters. And I did not treat Dobby cruelly," Lucius insisted, getting annoyed with Hermione.

"Yes you did, Father. You always kicked him around and hit him over the head," Draco reminded him.

"I did not."

"You did too. Plus you made him punish himself whenever he did anything wrong. I had to stop him from bashing his head against the wall several times."

Hermione looked at Draco. "You actually stopped him from doing that?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Well I just didn't know you cared about house elves."

"I don't. Not really. But there's no sense treating them poorly. I rather liked Dobby. He kept me company on my summer breaks."

"I just realized something. You're the one who told Dobby about Harry," Hermione said with a smile growing across her face.

"What do you mean? I didn't tell him about Harry."

"Yes you did," she insisted. "Dobby tried to save Harry's life and he said he'd heard of his greatness. We never knew who would have told him that. It certainly wasn't your father."

Draco turned red and looked down at the table.

"You spoke to a house elf about the greatness of Harry Potter?" Lucius asked slightly horrified.

"I might have mentioned him. But I wasn't saying how great he was. I was saying how great everyone else thought he was. I thought he was a prat."

Right at this moment, Tippy appeared with the wine. She poured it for everyone and said the food was coming shortly. Before she could leave again Hermione addressed her.

"Tippy, do you enjoy serving your master?"

"Oh yes, Miss. Tippy is most happy to serve."

"Wouldn't you rather get paid for your work?"

"Paid? You mean like money?"

"Yes."

"What would Tippy do with money? Tippy just likes to please her master," she smiled.

"See? My house elf is not treated poorly. She's quite content. Are you happy now, Miss Granger?" Lucius asked her.

Hermione shrunk down a little in her chair. She felt stupid. "I'm happy," she said quietly. "Thank you Tippy. You can go now."

"Dinner is coming," Tippy assured them right before she disappeared again.

Draco looked at Hermione and whispered to her. "Why are you talking about house elves? Are you trying to make my father angry?"

"I'm sorry. I just feel very passionately about this. I couldn't keep my mouth shut," she whispered back.

Draco just sighed and wished she hadn't brought up Dobby. The last thing he needed his father to know was that he spoke of Harry Potter to a house elf. Or anyone else for that matter.

When the food arrived, everyone ate in silence. It was deafening. Hermione had made a huge faux pas going on about elf rights. She had no idea why she brought that up. No one else ever cared except her anyway. She finally had to break the silence.

"The food is wonderful," she said with a smile.

"Yes, Tippy is a masterful cook," Narcissa smiled back.

"She should teach Draco how to cook. He's dreadful in a kitchen. He set my toaster on fire."

Draco's parents looked at each other for a moment and then they both laughed slightly.

"I can't imagine Draco in a kitchen," Narcissa said.

"A man doesn't belong in a kitchen anyway," Lucius added.

"Well he does if he lives alone. How else shall he eat?" Narcissa asked him.

"I usually eat out," Draco told them.

"Do you cook, Hermione?" Narcissa asked curiously.

"Me? No, not really. I mean I can cook some things. But I'm no house elf."

"You two should think about getting a few elves then. I could send you some. With just Cissy and I, we don't need them all anymore."

"No, that's alright. But thank you," Hermione told him.

"I don't need one either. I'm fine on my own," Draco said.

"Suit yourselves. You know, Miss Granger, you could pay yours if it would make you happy."

"That's okay. I don't need an elf. My flat is small enough without thinking where to stash an elf."

It was quiet again and Hermione could hear herself chewing. It was maddening. But she had no clue what to speak to these people about. And she could tell they thought the same of her. It was very uncomfortable. Finally the dinner was over and they all retreated back to the living room to have an after dinner drink. Hermione felt like she could use it.

"So do you still speak to Harry Potter?" Lucius asked Hermione.

"Yes. All the time. We're very good friends."

"I see. That boy was quite surprising, I must say. Escaping the killing curse twice? It's unheard of. Do you know how he did it?"

"Uh, no. Not really. I don't even think Harry knows for sure."

"Interesting. Well he had luck on his side. As I suppose we all did. Defeating the Dark Lord was no easy task. I didn't think it could ever be done."

"Were you disappointed?" Hermione asked him pointedly.

Lucius just looked at her for a moment. Then he finally spoke. "I'm sure Draco has told you about the way we were treated by him. I realized perhaps a bit too late that I had aligned myself with a true monster. So no, I was not disappointed. I was rather relieved. I think I can say we all were."

Hermione didn't know what to say to that. He seemed sincere. Just like Draco did when he talked about it. She was really beginning to realize that Voldemort had tormented the Malfoy's greatly and that they weren't willing servants to his wishes like she used to believe.

"But we don't speak of those days anymore around here," Lucius continued. "We'd all like to put the past behind us."

"Yes. I agree," Hermione said.

There was some more small talk after this, but for the most part, no one knew what to say. Draco finally ended the evening by saying Hermione had to get up early for work. It was a lie, but he wanted to leave. He'd obliged his parents by taking Hermione to meet them, but he didn't really know what it accomplished. But as they were about to leave, his parents asked to speak to him alone. He was reluctant to leave Hermione's side, but she urged him to go along. So he followed his parents into the study and awaited their move.

"So…I suppose this evening was a bit awkward for all of us," Lucius told Draco.

"You could say that."

"But we like her, Draco. She's lovely," Narcissa assured him.

"Yes, she is something," Lucius agreed. "She certainly isn't afraid to speak her mind."

"No she's not. It's one of the things I love most about her."

"I still think you should consider Astoria," Lucius said off hand.

"Father, we've been over that."

"Fine, fine. I suppose the Granger girl is acceptable. At least for now."

"It's not just for now. It's forever."

"Forever?" both his parents said in unison.

"Yes. Well if she's willing. I don't know how she feels. But I don't have any plans to let her go."

"Well before you go talking of forever, you should at least see that she shares your vision. Don't get your heart broken," his mother told him.

"It'll already get broken if she doesn't feel the same for me. There's no stopping it. But sometimes you have to take a chance."

"There will always be other girls," Lucius reminded him.

"Yeah, but I only want her," Draco said seriously. "I have to go now. Hermione is waiting. Thank you for having us."

"Anytime dear. We'll walk you out," his mother smiled and took his arm.

Draco's parents walked him back out to the other room where Hermione was waiting. They said their goodbyes and watched the couple leave. Once they got outside Hermione turned to Draco.

"So? Did they hate me? I'm pretty sure your father hates me," she said with a sigh.

"No, he likes you. He said you were acceptable."

"Acceptable? Well that's a glowing review," she laughed slightly.

"For him, it is. Trust me. But I know my mother likes you. They were both surprised at how well you spoke your mind," he told her.

"I hardly think my personal mission about elvish welfare went over very good."

Draco laughed. "I don't know what you were on about with that one, I have to admit. I mean, Spew? It sounds like someone being sick, not an organization."

"Well I couldn't come up with anything else," she said defensively. "But it doesn't matter. I gave up on that awhile ago. No one else really seemed to care that much except me."

"House elves are usually quite happy. Trust me. I grew up with them."

She turned to face him and put her hands on her hips. "But what about Dobby? He wasn't happy. He was miserable. And then your insane aunt killed him. The poor creature."

"Dobby's dead?" Draco asked, not realizing that such a thing occurred.

"Yes, he's dead. Your aunt Bellatrix threw a knife at us as we were escaping and it hit Dobby."

"Oh. Well that's unfortunate," Draco wasn't exactly sad per say, but he didn't wish his childhood elf to be dead. He wasn't sure what else to say.

"It was unfortunate. He saved our lives."

"Well then I hope wherever he is, he's resting peacefully."

"Me too. It was really quite sad."

"Come on, let's go," Draco said, changing the subject. It was uncomfortable for him to talk about deaths that occurred during the war. Even if it was just a house elf.

They were outside the gates now and could safely leave.

They ended up back at Hermione's and she quickly threw off her shoes and tossed them across the room.

"Help me unzip this dress, will you?" she asked him. "I can't wait to get back into comfortable clothes."

He walked over and unzipped the dress and kissed her bare shoulder. "You don't really need any clothes, do you?" he asked suggestively.

"Is sex all you think about?" she asked over her shoulder with a sly grin.

"Yes. Is that a problem?" he wondered, nibbling her ear.

She melted under his touch and closed her eyes. "You're very hard to say no to."

"Then don't say no," he pushed her dress down and it fell to the floor.

"Don't you think we should talk more about how the visit with your parents went?" she asked curiously.

"What else is there to say? They liked you well enough. I did what they asked. And now they're thankfully nowhere in sight. So let's just forget about them," he urged her as he turned her around and kissed her hungrily.

He had wanted her all evening and now that they were alone and she was in her underwear, there was no stopping him. He pushed her back against the wall roughly and knocked a lamp off a table.

"Draco, my lamp," she uttered between kisses.

"Forget the lamp."

He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around him. He whirled them around and stumbled to the couch where they both fell, nearly taking Crookshanks out before he leapt to safety. Their coupling was frenzied and rough and filled with deep longing. A burning need to be together. To be connected. To be part of each other. Draco had never wanted anyone this much and Hermione felt the same way. Every time he touched her it was like sparks shooting through her body. She couldn't explain it, but she only knew she'd never once felt this way with Ron. There was something so skillful about the way Draco moved and touched her, and his hands were amazing. Not to mention his lips and his tongue. And the way he smelled was like nothing else she'd ever smelled before. It wasn't cologne, it was just Draco. It was as if she were acting on pure animal instinct when she was with him. And he never disappointed her, that's for sure. He made sure she was enjoying herself thoroughly each and every time. Ron never paid much mind to that. Having sex with him was like being humped by a chihuahua sometimes. He was just desperate to get off and thought it was plenty satisfying for her as well. But in his defense, she pretended it was good. What did she know anyway? She'd been a virgin obviously when they got together. She figured that the sex was normal. But now she knew how good it could actually be. And even if sex wasn't the most important thing in a relationship, it definitely mattered to her. More than she realized. Draco had unleashed an insatiable side to her that she didn't even know existed until now.

Finally they lay there on the sofa wrapped around each other, breathlessly panting for air.

"Oh my God, that was good," Hermione uttered trying to breathe.

"It was amazing," he whispered back, as he kissed her again. "It's always amazing with you."

"I can't feel my feet," she laughed happily.

"Then I've done something right," he grinned at her and nestled his face into her neck, just breathing her in.

He rolled off of her and laid on his side to face her. He smoothed her messy hair out of her face and just looked at her.

"I know you don't really believe me, and I know you've never said it to me…but…I love you," he told her sincerely.

"I believe you," she smiled at him. "I just don't believe you _always_ loved me. That's too twisted to believe."

He ran his hand down her cheek. "I don't know. Some part of me thinks it's true. I mean, sometimes I thought about nothing else but you. Even if the thoughts were mostly bad. I still couldn't get you out of my head."

She laughed. "So thinking bad things about me meant you loved me?"

He shrugged. "It's probably stupid. You're right. It's just you were sort of an obsession to me. It used to drive me bloody mad. I could never break you no matter how hard I tried. It was frustrating."

"You wanted to break me?"

He nodded. "Of course. It's what I did back then. I broke people down. I was an idiot. And it's crazy, because I hated the lot of you, but I spent more time obsessing about you and Potter than I did anything else. It's embarrassing really."

"You obsessed over Harry?" she laughed at him.

"Not like that. I just couldn't fucking stand him."

"Well there was this one time when you were up to no good of course, and Harry wouldn't shut up about you. Every other word out of his mouth was 'Malfoy this' and 'Malfoy that'. So perhaps you both are suited to one another. Maybe I'm not who you really want?" she teased him.

"Oh shut up. You're disgusting. Don't put vulgar images in my head," he made a face and scoffed at her.

"I'm just joking."

"I know. But don't. It's disturbing on many levels. I need to scrub my brain out with bleach."

"Alright, alright. I'll shut up. But I think it's funny."

"You're warped."

"Yes, but you like that about me."

"I kinda do," he admitted with a grin as he leaned over and kissed her once more.

They were silent for a time while they just laid there together holding each other. Draco finally decided to break the silence and tell her about what had happened at his place earlier. She was much more relaxed now so she could probably deal with the news better.

"There's something I should tell you," he began, looking at her.

"What?"

"You're probably going to be mad."

She sat up slightly and frowned at him. "What did you do, Draco?"

"I didn't do anything," he said defensively. "It's more about what someone did to me."

"What are you talking about? Who did something to you?"

He sighed. "I had a visitor this afternoon. I'll give you three guesses as to who it was."

She stared at him blankly for a moment. "Harry?"

"No. Thank God. Although that might have been better. It was your old boyfriend."

"Ron? How did he know where you lived?"

"I don't know. He wouldn't tell me. But he stormed into my flat with his wand waving around as he yelled at me. It was pathetic really."

"Did he hurt you? Did you hurt him?"

"No. Nobody got hurt. But he _wanted_ to hurt me. He came there to make me pay for what I did. But all he did was levitate me into the air upside down like a dimwit. I could do that spell in my sleep when I was twelve."

"What did you do to him?"

"I stupefied him and then I did the full body bind curse on him. He dropped like a statue. It was kind of funny."

"Oh Draco, why did you do that?"

"What would you have me do? He was threatening me. I didn't hurt him. He said he was going to use Sectumsempra on me! Can you believe it? And don't defend him like you defended Harry, because Ron bloody well knows what that spell does now. And still he threatened me with it. I'm the wronged party," he said heatedly.

Hermione just shook her head and laid back down.

"Why did he even confront you at all? What did he say?"

"I don't know. I wasn't listening. But he thought I had you under a spell and he wanted me to undo it. So I paralyzed him and had a small chat with him and then I told him to fuck off."

"I'm sorry he came by your place. I would say I should talk to him again, but I don't think that will do much good."

"Yeah, just leave it alone. I think he got the picture. About bloody time. He's a sore loser."

"Well wouldn't you be too?"

"Yeah," Draco admitted. "Of course I would be. I just didn't appreciate your ex marching into my private home uninvited."

"I have a feeling I know how he found you," Hermione said, with her wheels turning.

"How?"

"Harry probably told him."

"Harry? He knows where I live? You told him my bloody address?"

"No of course not. I don't even know your address. I've only apparated there. But Harry is an Auror. He can find anyone. It's what he does. I swear, I'm going to throttle both of them if they don't quit meddling in my life," she said with irritation.

"I never thought I'd see the day when my parents were more welcoming than your friends are. They barely freaked out at all by me bringing you to their house, but your friends are making threats and hunting me down like an animal," he said angrily.

Hermione covered her face and sighed. "It's just going to take them some time. They don't know you like I do. And Ron is simply hurting. That's all."

"You shouldn't always defend them," Draco said with annoyance.

"I feel like I have to. I'm the one who caused this mess. They're simply reacting. I don't know what you expected they'd do when they found out. We both knew no one would throw us a parade."

"I know. I just wish that they'd believe I was different now."

"Why does it really matter to you what they think?"

Draco thought for a moment then shook his head. "I don't know. It's not like I wanna be fucking friends with them. I just want them to stop thinking you're crazy, that's all."

She touched his face and held it in her hands. "I don't care if they think I'm crazy. It doesn't matter to me."

"Doesn't it?"

"I mean, of course I wish things were different. But Harry isn't ever going to like you, I'm afraid. And Ron? Well it wouldn't matter if you were just some random guy he never met. He'd still hate you right now. So not much would be different there."

"I'm gonna make sure that this is worth it to you. That I'm worth it. I promise you that I'm going to be good to you. I'll give you everything. And maybe one day you'll even love me back," he said softly, looking away from her.

She didn't know quite what to say to that. She wanted to tell him she loved him too, but she wasn't sure yet. It was all too confusing. Love and lust felt very much the same sometimes. But he was in her heart. She knew that much. She didn't know when and was confused about how, as well. But he'd managed to enter her heart and grab a hold.

She leaned over and kissed him softly. "I already think you're worth it." And she meant that. She just hoped he believed her.

**Feedback is appreciated! I hope you continue reading along.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

A month went past, and Draco and Hermione were spending most of their free time together. They couldn't seem to get enough of each other. They learned new things everyday and found out they actually had a lot of things in common. It was bizarre, Hermione thought, because on the surface they couldn't be more different. But on the inside, where it counted, they were very much the same. They laughed at the same jokes, enjoyed the same shows on the telly, and Hermione actually enjoyed playing the video games with Draco too. He had convinced her to try them and she was hooked. They spent many hours just sitting in his living room playing games and talking and laughing together. Neither one of them had had any more unwelcome visits from anyone. And Hermione had distanced herself from Harry and Ginny because Ginny was still too upset with her. Hermione was a little sad about that, but she was also having the best time of her life too. One night while they were laying in bed together, Draco turned to his side and looked at her.

"Do you think perhaps that the friends you make in childhood don't end up being your friends when you're an adult?" he asked her curiously, knowing her predicament with Harry and Ron and Ginny.

She looked at him thoughtfully and answered him. "I don't know. I mean, I always thought Harry and Ron would be my best friends. I couldn't imagine it any other way. But now, I'm not so sure. Maybe I've just changed too much for them.?"

"Do you miss them?"

"I do. I'd be lying if I said I didn't. I understand why Ron won't speak to me, but I thought Harry would be different. I think Ginny is pulling his strings a bit."

"She is a Weasley. Those gingers have tempers on them. Did you know ancient legend says that ginger hair is a sign of evil and they have no souls?" he asked with a sly smile.

She smacked his chest. "Shut up. That's not a true legend. They have souls. But you're right that they have tempers too. I had no idea Ginny would be so peeved with me."

"I guess she's pretty protective of her brother then."

Hermione sighed. "Yes, I suppose she is. But I do miss talking to Harry."

Draco was quiet for a minute, feeling slightly jealous of her friendship with Harry. "You were really close to him, weren't you?" he asked finally.

She nodded her head. "I've never met anyone quite like him. He's very dear to me. Even if he does get on my nerves sometimes," she laughed slightly.

"You and he really never had a thing going?" Draco wondered curiously.

"Me and Harry? No way."

"Why not? Plenty of other girls fancied him."

"I don't know. I just never thought of him that way. It's not as if I find him unattractive. He's quite handsome in his own way. But there were never any romantic feelings between us. He was like the brother I never had."

"Brother huh?"

"Yes," she assured him. "There was this one time, when we were on the run, and Ron left us. He just got pissed off and angry and deserted us right in the middle of the forest. I was so upset. I couldn't believe he'd do that. And he expected me to come with him, but I refused. But anyway, after he left, it was just Harry and I for a long time. We shared a lot together. He comforted me. And I comforted him. We went to visit his parents grave together. He'd never been."

"Sounds like you two were really close then," Draco said quietly, knowing he probably could never compete with what they shared, even if it wasn't romantic.

"We _were_ close. But maybe you're right? Maybe the friends we grow up with eventually go away?"

Draco pulled her closer and snuggled down into her arms. "I don't want you to give up your friends for me," he told her sincerely.

"I haven't given them up. I'm just waiting for them to come around again. It's alright. At least I have you," she smiled at him and gave him a kiss.

"Yes you do. You always will."

Draco felt bad for some reason. It wasn't like him to want to share what was his with other people. But Hermione missed Potter. He knew it was eating her up inside and he hated knowing it was his fault and his presence that was causing the rift. He didn't know why he should care because it was better to just have Hermione all to himself. But he knew that deep down she didn't want it that way. She wanted her people back. He knew he couldn't do anything to get Ron back in her corner, but maybe he could do something about Potter? It was a risk. They still hated each other. But maybe for Hermione's sake, he'd at least listen to him. He decided that he should at least try. It would make her happy and that's all that mattered.

The next day, he decided to track Harry down at the Ministry. He was a little bit nervous to set foot inside that place, but he did it anyway. He didn't have an appointment, which posed a problem with the receptionist. Especially after he told her his name. She bristled and it was obvious that he was rather well known there and not for his heroics.

"I'm afraid I can't let you in to see Mr. Potter. You're not on the list. And he's very busy," the woman told him.

"I realize I'm not on the list, but just tell him I'm here," Draco persisted.

"Mr. Malfoy, I don't think that he would like to see you unless this is some sort of official business," she told him haughtily.

"Did he specifically tell you not to let me in or are you just assuming?"

"I-I just know who you are, that's all," she stammered out.

"Look, Potter and I are old school chums. He'd want to see me. So just tell him I'm here," Draco said forcefully.

Before the receptionist could say anything else, the door to Harry's office opened and he walked out. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Draco standing there at the desk.

"Malfoy? What are you doing here?" he asked giving him a hard look. "Is something wrong with Hermione?"

"No. She's fine. Actually scratch that. She's not fine. I need to talk to you," Draco said to him seriously.

The receptionist looked at Harry and told him, "I tried to tell him he couldn't come in without an appointment."

Harry just waved his hand in the air. "It's fine. Let him come in," Harry relented.

Draco gave the receptionist a dirty look and then he marched into Harry's office after him and closed the door behind him.

"So what's wrong with Hermione? What did you do to her?" Harry asked glaring at Draco.

"I didn't do anything to her, you git. _You're_ the one that's hurting her. You haven't spoken to her in over a month."

"She hasn't spoken to me either. It's not my fault."

"She thinks you're mad at her. And we both know you sent Ron after me," Draco pointed out.

Harry stared at him for a moment then he sighed. "How did you know about that?"

"Hermione isn't stupid. She figured out you were the only one with access to my personal files."

"Well so what? It's not like anything happened there. Ron said he chickened out of hurting you and that you didn't do anything but tell him to get lost."

"That's not the point. You knew he wanted to hurt me and you were going to let him. How do you think that made Hermione feel?"

Harry scratched his head and shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't thinking about her as much as I was thinking about Ron."

"Typical. Look, she misses you. And I don't like to see her sad about it. It bothers me. Now I'd be plenty happy if she never saw your face again. But she doesn't feel that way. So fix it."

"Fix it? What do you want me to do? Ginny doesn't want her coming round to our place. And I can't very well pop in on you two together because my eyes might start bleeding."

"For fuck's sake, Potter. Are you completely daft? Just take her out to lunch or something. Leave your bint at home and spend some time with Hermione. Unless you actually do hate her for being with me," Draco asked curiously.

"Of course I don't hate her. I told her that. I said I was still her friend. It's just I have people pulling me in all directions and I don't know who I'm supposed to side with. You wouldn't understand since you don't have any friends," Harry shot back at him.

"I have friends."

"No you don't. Not anymore."

Draco was pissed that Harry realized he had no friends. But he refused to confirm that. He chose to ignore the comment.

"Maybe I don't understand your situation fully, but I'm here to tell you that you're hurting someone you claim to care about. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important to her. But I don't want you telling her I stopped by. She can't know. I just want you to get your head out of your arse and talk to her."

Harry sat down in his chair and let out a deep breath. "Fine. I'll talk to her. I didn't realize she was so upset. I figured she was happily doing whatever it is you two do, which I do not want to hear about. I thought she was fine."

"Well she's not. I wish I was enough for her. You have no idea. But I don't want to stand in the way of her friendship with you."

Harry didn't understand what he was hearing. This didn't sound like Draco at all. Why would he care if they were friends? He thought Draco would be pleased that Hermione had distanced herself from him. He was confused.

"Are you actually trying to do something noble?" Harry asked him incredulously.

"I hardly think I'm noble. But I'm not doing it for me, that's for sure. It's for her. Despite what you think of me, I love her. And for some reason she loves you. It's rather annoying."

"She loves _me_?"

"Not like that, you dipshit. You know what I mean. Friendship. That kind of love."

"Well I love her too. And I told her that," Harry informed him.

"Act like it then. It took a lot of pride swallowing for me to darken your doorstep, Potter. You know I'd rather jump off a bridge than be here. And yet, here I am. Asking you for a favor. And yet you still think I'm scum."

"You never gave me a reason to think otherwise."

"Doesn't what I'm doing today mean anything to you? Or are you really that dead set against me?"

Harry stared at him in contemplation. It was true that the Draco he knew would never do something like this because it didn't benefit him in any way. In fact, it was probably better for him without Harry in Hermione's life. And yet here he was. Inside the Ministry. Inside his office. Talking to him almost like he was a regular person. It was odd and disturbing. But he was starting to believe that maybe Hermione was right about him changing. At least a little bit.

"Alright Draco. I'll make it up to Hermione. And I'll lay off you. I won't stick my nose into your relationship, okay? I know it can't have been your first choice to come here today, so I give you credit for it, alright? But don't expect us to be best mates. I still don't like you."

"The feelings quite mutual. No worries there."

"Alright then."

"Okay. I'm going. Remember, don't tell her I was here."

"I won't."

Draco turned around to leave but then he thought better of it. He turned back and handed a piece of folded up paper to Harry. "Give this to Ron."

"What is it? A howler?"

"Does it look like a howler?"

"No. But what is it?"

"It's a name and an address. My mother gave it to me. It's a girl. Astoria. From what I understand she's quite stunning and also available. Perhaps Ron wants to take her out? She only dates purebloods, but Weasley qualifies I guess. He should give it a go."

"Why would you do that for him?" Harry asked with confusion.

Draco shrugged. "Feel bad for the stupid git. If Hermione dumped me, I don't know what I'd do. Maybe this will help him get over it?"

Harry just stood there dumbfounded and didn't know what to say. It was the weirdest thing he could imagine happening, and yet it was actually occurring. Draco was being nice. For no reason. The apocalypse might actually be coming soon because there was no other way to explain this strange behavior. Draco just turned around and left after that. He had nothing else to say and it was clear Harry had been rendered mute. Maybe at least now he'd see that Draco was trying to change.

After work, Harry met Ron at a café in Diagon Alley. He didn't really know if it was the best idea to do this, but he needed to talk to someone about it. Plus he had that name and address to give him. He had no idea what Ron's reaction would be, but he was about to find out.

"Hey," Ron said, as he walked up and sat down at the table with Harry. "Sorry I'm late. I got stuck at work."

"It's okay. I haven't been here long."

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Ron asked him curiously.

"Well it's about a visitor I had today at work. I don't know what to make of it actually. But he told me to give you this," Harry told him as he scooted the piece of paper across the table.

"What's this? And who's he? Who gave it to you?"

Harry hesitated a moment and then he just blurted it out. "It's from Draco. It's a name and address of a girl. For you. He told me to give it to you."

"Is this some sort of a joke? I don't want this," Ron said tossing the paper back at Harry. "And why the hell was Malfoy at your office?"

"He came to see me about Hermione. He wants me to see her and talk to her. I haven't really talked to her since your little stunt visiting Draco. She's upset with me and thinks I hate her."

"And Malfoy came to tell you that? And give you some sort of girl for me? What was wrong with him?" Ron asked confused.

"I don't know. It was weird. He was being all normal and human like. He barely even insulted me. And he said he wanted you to go out with this girl so you'd be happy again."

"What? Yeah right. It's gotta be some sort of trick. I'm sure this girl is a right old hag."

"I don't know. He said she was stunning."

"Stunning? Then what would she want with me?" Ron asked dejectedly.

"You're not giving yourself enough credit. You went out with Hermione and she's not exactly a hag."

"That was different. Besides, I don't want Malfoy's cast off. What the bleedin' hell am I supposed to do with this paper?"

"I don't know. Maybe send her an owl and tell her a friend gave you her name. Ask her out?" Harry offered.

"Are you serious? Do you even know me? I can't do that. I'm horrible with girls. I don't just send them owls and ask them out. I don't even know who the hell this girl is anyway. I'm still not convinced this isn't a joke. Don't you think it's a joke?" Ron asked curiously.

Harry shrugged. "He seemed sincere. What would he have to gain by making a joke? He wanted Hermione and I to be friends again and I don't think he'd mess with you if he doesn't want her mad at him."

Ron just looked at Harry and said nothing. He crossed his arms. "I never said you couldn't be friends with Hermione. Just because I can't doesn't mean you have to stay clear of her."

"I know. It wasn't really a conscious effort on my part. It just happened. She stopped coming around because Ginny is pissed. And I never did anything to rectify it. Plus I didn't know how you felt."

"Well I'm fine. Sort of. I mean I'm not really fine, but I don't care if you talk to her. I just don't want to hear about her and Malfoy. And I'm not gonna fucking owl this strange bint that Draco wants to set me up with. I don't trust him."

"Okay. I'll throw away the paper. I didn't think you'd want it anyway but I figured I'd try. I mean, it might be good for you to try and move on. You can't pine over Hermione forever."

"It hasn't been that long. And I'm not pining. I've given up. Maybe I'll just be a hermit," Ron said with a sigh.

"Rubbish. There are lots of girls out there. And you're a great catch. A war hero. Who wouldn't want to go out with you?" Harry said hopefully.

"Give me a break. My name was in the papers for awhile, but that's been over ages ago. No one remembers me."

"Sure they do. You just haven't gotten out there to see. Maybe we'll go out. Just us guys. We'll get a few pints and find you a new girl."

"That's what George told me too."

"So then let's all go. It'll be fun."

"Alright. Maybe."

"Okay. We'll do it soon, I promise. And here," Harry said handing over the paper again to him. "Just take this. You never know. Maybe you'll change your mind."

Ron begrudgingly put the paper in his pocket and stood up to go.

"Tell Hermione I said hello when you see her. Don't make it a big deal. Just let her know I still think about her and I'm glad she's happy."

"Will do. I'll see you later."

Ron walked off and just shook his head. Now Harry was being chummy with Malfoy. What was the world coming to? Was he the only sane person left? He didn't get it. But he gave up trying to understand it. Just because he gave Ron some girls address didn't mean he was all reformed and a good guy. Ron still thought it was a joke. He pulled out the paper and opened it up. Astoria Greengrass. Ron had never heard of her. She sounded snobby. What would he want with a girl like that anyway? He crumpled up the paper and tossed it into a bin as he walked away.

Harry knew he needed to make one more stop before he went home. He needed to go see Hermione. He wasn't sure she'd be alone though. He hoped so. He didn't want Malfoy to be there. He apparated to the alley by Hermione's building and he walked up the steps. He went to her apartment and knocked on the door. He waited patiently for her to open up and when she finally did she seemed shocked to see him.

"Harry? What are you doing here?" she asked with a tentative smile.

"I haven't seen you in awhile and I missed you. I hope its not a bad time."

"No, no. I was just washing up dishes. Come in."

"So you're alone I take it?" he asked, looking around the room to see if Draco was lounging about.

"Yes, I'm alone. Don't worry. He's not here. He's having dinner with his parents tonight."

"Oh. Really? I didn't realize he still saw them."

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, he does. For awhile he didn't come around often. He and his father didn't get on very well after Draco moved here. But they've made peace. I actually met them," she told Harry.

"You did?"

"Yes, I had dinner with them."

"Wow. They allowed you into their house? I'm shocked."

"I was too actually. But they aren't so scary. Well maybe Lucius is a little bit. But they tried to be pleasant. But it was awkward," she admitted. "I don't go with him now when he visits."

"I wouldn't either. I don't know how you could stand a dinner with the Malfoy's," Harry said making a face.

"He is my boyfriend. It seemed only right I should meet them."

"Has he met your parents?"

"No. Not yet. I sort of haven't told my folks that Ron and I broke up yet. They liked him so well. I've been avoiding them," she admitted.

"You're going to have to tell them sooner or later."

"I will. It's not like I'm afraid they won't like Draco. I know they will. They don't have any preconceived notions about him like everyone else does."

"Yeah, well those notions are hard to overlook sometimes," Harry pointed out.

Hermione just looked at him and said nothing.

"I'm sorry. I'm not here to bag on Draco. I'm actually here to see if you want to have lunch with me sometime. We can catch up. I know it's been too long," Harry told her.

"Yes, it really has. I just wasn't sure how welcome I was in your life. I take it Ginny is still upset?"

Harry nodded. "I'm afraid so. I mean, she doesn't talk bad about you. She just doesn't talk about you at all anymore."

Hermione felt saddened at that. She had really grown fond of Ginny over the years. "Well I hope I'm still invited to your wedding someday," Hermione managed a weak smile.

"Of course you will be. By then everything will have settled. And even if it didn't, I'd make sure you were still there," Harry promised her.

"Good. Because I want to see my best friend get married someday. Nothing would please me more."

"Well don't rush it. I haven't even asked her yet."

"Are you going to?"

Harry got a little flustered and didn't know what to say at first. Then he shrugged. "I don't know. We're a little young. Ginny's only eighteen. It's a miracle her parents even let her come live with me."

"Right. I know. I'm rushing it. I keep forgetting I'm the oldest one of us. I'm already twenty," she said with a sigh.

"Yeah, you're getting real old there Hermione. Should we be looking to get you a walker and some orthopedic shoes soon?" Harry teased her.

"Oh be quiet. I didn't mean to imply I was _old_. Just that I'm older than you guys. But some days I feel a hundred."

"So do I. We grew up too fast I think."

Hermione nodded. "We had to."

"But I'm still not ready to get married yet. Are you ready?" he asked curiously.

"Me? Get married? I don't think so. I still haven't even figured out my life yet," she told him, shaking her head. "I think that's why being with Ron scared me sometimes. He was always talking about getting married and having babies. He wanted a family like he grew up in. He kept saying how his parents married straight out of school and we could too."

"Yeah, he told me once or twice he wanted to marry you. I guess I just assumed you were on the same page."

"No, we weren't. That's why I moved away. I just knew that if I moved in with him, somehow I'd end up married and pregnant before I knew it and then I'd feel trapped. I just wasn't ready."

"I didn't realize you felt that way. I mean, about feeling trapped with Ron. I thought you were happy," Harry said quietly.

"We were happy. Sort of. It's complicated. We just didn't want the same things in life. At least not the same things at the same time."

Harry didn't speak for a minute. But when he finally did, he asked her, "Do you think you'll marry Draco someday?"

Hermione was taken aback. She wasn't ready for that question. "I-I don't know. We haven't been together that long. I know his parents want him to marry someone else. They've already picked her out. Sometimes I get nervous that they'll convince him to drop me and be with her. But he assures me it won't happen that way."

"Who is this girl?"

"Her name is Astoria. I guess she's Ginny's age. But Draco said he didn't know her from school."

"Astoria? That's the girl his parents want him to marry?"

"Yes. Do you know her?" Hermione asked perplexed.

Harry shook his head. "No, I don't know her. It's just Draco…never mind. I'm not supposed to talk about it."

"Not supposed to talk about what? What do you know about Draco and Astoria?" Hermione was beginning to get nervous.

"Nothing. I don't know anything about them. It's just that…okay, don't tell him I told you this. Promise?" Harry asked seriously.

"Don't tell him you told me what?"

Harry sighed. "Draco came to see me today. And while he was there he gave me a piece of paper with Astoria's name and address on it. He told me to give it to Ron. We thought it might be a sick joke or something, but if that's the girl he's supposed to marry then I guess he's trying to pawn her off on Ron."

"Wait. Draco came to see you? Why would he do that? And why would he give Ron Astoria's name and address?"

"Beats me. He's your boyfriend. You know how his mind works more than I do."

Hermione frowned and shook her head. "That's just weird. Why would he offer Ron a girl? He hates Ron."

"I suppose he was trying to prove something to me. That he was nice or something. I don't know."

"Is that why you're here tonight? Because Draco told you I missed you?" she asked, suddenly putting the pieces together.

"Sort of. But I was going to come to see you. I just hadn't done it yet. I missed you too. Things were just really confusing for awhile."

"I see. I can't believe Draco spoke to you. Was he nice?"

"Mostly. It was bizarre. But I see what you're saying about him being different," Harry admitted. He just didn't know how much to trust this new Draco.

"Well then maybe you'll not think I'm so crazy after all?"

"Maybe not. I don't know. I still think it's really weird," Harry laughed slightly.

"I don't make fun of Ginny," she pointed out.

"I wasn't making fun of him. I just said it's weird. I mean, it's Draco Malfoy. It would be like if I showed up one day and told you I was in love with Bellatrix. What would you think?"

Hermione couldn't help herself from laughing. "Bellatrix? Oh come on. Draco isn't a psycho loony. Besides, she's dead, so you can't be with her," she pointed out.

"I'm just trying to show you how it seems to the rest of us. Maybe he has changed? I don't know. But it's hard to trust someone who was always out to get you for years. Don't you worry that he's not really changed?" he asked honestly.

Hermione thought about it for a minute. She was sometimes scared she was being too trusting. But Draco had done nothing to make her doubt him. He hadn't changed completely. She knew that. He was still spoiled and still pompous at times. And he could be rude and insensitive about certain things. But he was still different. He was softer and more vulnerable. He was honest and true and he loved her and treated her like a princess.

"I don't worry. You might not trust him, but I do. Perhaps I'll be proven wrong one day. I don't know. But for now I care for him very much. I feel alive with him. I feel like my life is better than it's ever been. And it's all because of him. I can't tell you why or how. It just is. I need you to trust that I'm smart enough to take care of myself," she told Harry.

"I trust you. I always have. And I know you're smart. I'm just going to button it up about Draco and let you live your life. But this time let's not give each other the brush off, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed. But then she gave him a stern look. "One more thing before we put it to rest. Why did you give Ron Draco's home address?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Harry gave her a pained expression. "I don't know. I didn't really. He sort of snooped in my files."

"And you just happened to have Draco's address in your files?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"In case I needed to rescue you, or something. I don't know. It was stupid of me. And I know I shouldn't have let Ron snoop, but he begged me. I didn't know what to do."

"Well you're lucky they didn't kill each other."

"I know."

"Alright then. I'm choosing to forgive you for that because it's in the past. And we're going to move forward, yes?"

"Absolutely. So when do you want to have that lunch?" he asked her with a smile.

"Whenever you're free. I don't have work on Tuesday."

"Tuesday works for me," he nodded. "Should we go to our usual spot?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I look forward to it. I better get home now. Ginny will be wondering where I am."

"Tell her I said hi. Even if she doesn't want to hear it. Just tell her, okay?"

"Okay," he nodded. Then he added, "Ron says hello too. He wanted me to say that. And that he still thinks of you and is glad you're happy."

"He said that?"

Harry nodded.

"Well tell him the next time you see him that I wish him well too. That I want him to be happy."

"I'll tell him," Harry smiled at her. "I'll see you soon."

"Goodbye Harry. Thanks for coming by."

"Don't mention it."

And with that, he was gone. Hermione sat back and smiled. She was touched that Draco went to see Harry on her behalf. And even more happy that Harry actually made the effort to see her and patch things up. She had been worried he was poisoned against her now, what with Ginny being so upset. But he was still her friend and for that she was grateful. And even Ron had sent well wishes. That was unexpected. She never dreamed he'd ever be glad she was happy. Maybe someday they really could be friends again? Not any time soon, she supposed. But maybe one day? Maybe one day everything will be different and better? She hoped so.

**Any feedback is appreciated! I hope you'll continue to read along!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

Hermione lay in her bed, tangled up in the sheets. Draco lay beside her sprawled out and deep in sleep. They had had another blissful night together and they exhausted themselves. But Hermione was not sleeping peacefully for a change. The day before was May 2nd. The second anniversary of the end of the war. All day she had tried not to give it much thought, but it had been hard for her. It was the anniversary of Fred's death. Along with Tonks and Lupin. And countless others. She knew from Harry that he spent the day with little Teddy since he was his godfather after all. And even though he was still too small to understand, Harry wanted to tell him stories of his heroic parents and how they had died to make the world a better place for him. Hermione herself had spent the day working and thinking about Ron and the other Weasley's. Especially George. She had also heard from Harry that the joke shop would be closed that day, as a remembrance of it's late founder. She had wanted to reach out to Ron and at least tell him she was thinking about him, but she hadn't done it. She worried it would only upset him more. But she found herself missing Fred quite a lot. They had never been especially close, but he always used to tease her when she'd visit. It was good natured teasing, though. He had really liked her and she him.

One time, shortly after his death she had walked in on George talking to a mirror in his room. She was perplexed at first, but when he discovered her staring he told her that it was almost like talking to Fred again. Seeing himself in the mirror was the closest he was ever going to get to seeing his brother again. It had broken her heart. And marked the one and only occasion she had actually gone over and hugged George and let him cry. Even Ron didn't know of this private moment. They had kept it between themselves. And that was what was haunting her dreams tonight. The image of him staring into that mirror. And this time when she called his name, he couldn't seem to hear her. And suddenly she was transported back in time to the moments she lay writhing on the floor of Malfoy's drawing room. She was screaming and crying and Bellatrix was laughing maniacally at her, pressing her for information. And then she was lifted up and a knife pressed against her throat. She was paralyzed. She was afraid to breathe. And she looked over and saw Draco sitting there. He looked pained. He looked gaunt and gray and nothing at all like the handsome man she now shared her bed with. She called out to him for help.

"Draco, please," she uttered through her terror.

He just sat there unmoving. Her pleas landing on deaf ears. And then all at once she felt the knife slice through her neck. She felt the burning pain and the blood pouring down over her fingers as she grasped her neck. And then all at once Draco stood up and screamed out the word 'No!' But it was too late for Hermione. She was dying. And the last thing she saw was Lord Voldemort casting the killing curse at Draco and he dropped like a stone next to her on the floor.

She screamed out and sat up in the bed, gasping for air. It had all seemed so real. Draco shot up and was disoriented from his deep sleep.

"What? What is it? Is someone in here?" he asked Hermione, glancing around the room as he grabbed his wand off the night table quickly.

She tried to catch her breath. "No, no. No one is here. I'm sorry. I just had a nightmare," she explained to him, trying not to cry.

He put the wand down and scooted over closer to her and put his arms around her.

"Shush love, it's okay. It was only a bad dream. Whatever it was, it's not real," he whispered softly to her.

"But it was real. At least some of it. Some of it really happened," she told him as the tears ran down her cheeks.

Draco held her tight and kissed her forehead. "It's okay. It's all the past. Do you want to tell me what you dreamt?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head. "No, it's too painful."

He knew that the day had been hard for her being the anniversary of the end of the war. She didn't talk to him about it, but she had been very subdued and quiet. When they had made love, she wasn't her usual self either. She seemed to need him desperately and kept telling him to help her forget. He didn't ask what she wanted to forget because he already knew. And now her dreams were being plagued with images he could only imagine.

"You haven't had a nightmare since we started sharing a bed," he pointed out softly.

"I know. I used to have them a lot, but I suppose my mind was in a rather blissful state lately. I'll be fine," she assured him, as she began to calm down.

"I still sometimes have the nightmares," he admitted.

She looked at him curiously. "You do? How come you never tell me?"

He shrugged. "I don't want to burden you with them."

"You never wake up screaming. At least I've never heard you."

"I don't scream. I just wake up in a cold sweat, in a panic. My heart thumping out of my chest. It takes me awhile to realize that it's not actually happening."

"Yeah, that's how this was. It felt too real. Like I was there all over again," she told him. "If I tell you what mine was about, will you tell me what yours are about?" she asked softly.

"I've told you before what my nightmares are. At least one of them. It involves you."

"Are there others?"

"Sometimes. Sometimes I dream that I succeeded in killing Dumbledore. Sometimes I dream that Voldemort killed my parents right in front of me. And sometimes I dream that you wake up one day and realize I'm a mistake and you leave me," he admitted quietly.

She kissed his cheek softly. "That last one won't happen," she reassured him.

"What did you dream tonight? You can tell me. I told you mine."

"I dreamt that Bellatrix slit my throat while you watched. And then when you stood up to try and do something, Voldemort killed you."

Draco was silent for awhile, not really sure what to say. "He _would_ have killed me if I tried to save you. You know that right?"

"I do."

"But maybe I should have done it anyway? Then perhaps I would have died for a good reason instead of living a meaningless life?"

"Don't talk like that. I don't blame you for not saving me. In the end, it worked out. I was saved by someone else."

"Yeah, my old house elf. Of all the things. A house elf was braver than me!" he said angered at himself.

"It doesn't matter. It's all over with now. We all did what we had to do to stay alive. You know I forgive you," she told him, running her hand through his hair gently.

"Maybe I can't forgive myself?"

"You should. After all, you never killed anyone."

He looked at her. "I tried to. I tried to kill Dumbledore. Of all people. And I could have done it. Up until the moment I confronted him on that tower, I didn't really believe I could do it. I thought he'd annihilate me with just a look, a wizard as powerful as he. It's the only reason Voldemort chose me to kill him. Because he thought I'd die in the process. But when I found him, he was weak and fragile. Something was wrong with him. I disarmed him quickly. He didn't even fight back. He told me to go ahead and do it. He knew all along that I was trying to kill him and yet he did nothing. He was an easy kill. And I still couldn't do it. I just couldn't do it."

"That's because you're not a killer, Draco."

"That's what he told me too."

"He was right. I don't think he was scared of you because he knew you'd never do it. Even with him standing there helpless against you."

"Yeah. I guess he knew me better than I knew myself. I mean, I never _wanted_ to do it. I _had_ to. I was ordered to. But when I failed and Snape showed up, I didn't know what would happen. I thought maybe he was there to finish me off on Voldemort's orders. But he just shot the killing curse at Dumbledore for me and the next thing I knew he was just falling backwards. Dead. Just like that. I thought I had spared Dumbledore and perhaps he would somehow be strong enough to defeat Voldemort himself. But Snape killed him anyway. I couldn't stop it."

"You never could have stopped it, Draco. Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him. It was all set up beforehand. He was already dying."

Draco looked at her with some confusion. He hadn't known this. "No Snape did it because he made the unbreakable vow to my mother. That he would do the task if I failed. That's why he did it."

"That's not the only reason. Snape wasn't on Voldemort's side. I thought you knew that. Didn't you read the papers afterwards? Didn't you read what Harry had to say about Snape?"

"No I didn't read the papers. I stayed away from them."

"Then there's so much you don't know," she told him seriously. "Snape only pretended to do Voldemort's bidding. He was a double agent, but not for the bad guys. He was good. And killing Dumbledore was Dumbledore's idea. And it also helped you because then you didn't have to do it. Snape already knew it would be him doing the killing when he made the vow with your mother. He never intended for you to do it."

"So everyone thought I'd fail at the task, then?" he wondered.

"I think it's a task worth failing, don't you?"

"Yes. God, I never _wanted_ to do it," he said with his head in his hands.

"Can I ask you what happened after you failed? I mean, Voldemort had threatened your life if you didn't do it. What happened when he learned you didn't succeed?" she asked him curiously.

He looked at her and then lowered his head. "He was pretty upset with me. Disappointed. But Snape saved me. He told Voldemort the task was done and that I'd tried my best and had done a lot of damage but Dumbledore was too strong for me. He lied to protect me."

"Professor Snape was always looking out for all of us. We just never knew. He was such a dreadful person on the surface. But I suppose underneath it all, he was a good man."

"He always liked me," Draco pointed out.

"That's just because you were a Slytherin like him. He could publicly favor you without raising any eyebrows. But if he had treated Harry with kindness, it would have blown his cover. Besides, I don't know that he could stand Harry, even though he protected him."

"If that's true, then why did Harry say nice things of him in the papers?"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know exactly. I just know that as Snape was dying, he gave Harry his memories to take with him. Harry put them in Dumbledore's pensieve and saw everything. Apparently Snape was in love with Harry's mum."

"What? In love with Harry's mum? But she was dead."

"I know. He never got over her. And Harry had her eyes. I suppose it reminded him of her whenever he looked at him. I don't know. Only Harry saw the memories for himself. I didn't see them."

"Was Snape involved with her? He's not Harry's real father is he?" Draco asked curiously.

"Oh God no! Definitely not. No, James Potter is Harry's father. No doubt about that. They look very much alike. I've seen pictures. No, Snape's love was unrequited I'm afraid. Kind of makes you feel a bit sorry for him. I don't think Harry's mum forgave him for joining the Death Eaters in his youth."

Draco could relate. He still couldn't believe Hermione had forgiven him for joining. Even if it was under coercion. "But you forgive me?" he asked her.

"You know I do. You had no choice. I know that."

"You know, my mum hasn't really forgiven my father for joining the Death Eaters. She overlooked it for years. Put up with him being sent to prison. Believed his story that he was under the Imperius curse the first time. But deep down she knew he was a liar. He'd done it on purpose. And when Voldemort took over our lives, she was really angry with him. I heard them arguing when they thought no one was around. She kept telling him to get Voldemort and his cronies out of her house, but my father couldn't do anything about it."

"Why do you suppose she stays with him now?"

Draco shrugged. "She loves him."

"Even after everything?"

"She's forgiving I guess. Maybe a bit like you."

She shook her head, "I don't think I could forgive someone like your father. You're not like him. You never really were. He just wanted you to be."

"I wanted to be like him too. When I was little. It wasn't until I really saw what his life entailed that I stopped idolizing him. I saw the error of my ways. I barely even remember my sixth year at Hogwarts. I was so consumed with just trying to survive and save my family."

"I know. You were a victim too. Sometimes I would see you across the Great Hall at meal times and you looked so sad and lost. Not like the boy I once knew," she admitted stroking his arm.

"I didn't think you ever looked my way."

"Not often. But once in awhile, I would. Just out of curiosity. We knew you were up to something so we were watching you."

"Did you ever want to actually confront me and ask me what I was up to?"

"As if you would have told me."

"You're right. I wouldn't have. But sometimes I think about it now and wonder what I would have done if you had asked me. Not Harry or Ron, but _you_. Maybe I would have told you."

"Don't be silly. You would not have. You're just clouded by the way you feel for me now. But you didn't feel that way then," she reminded him.

"Yeah I suppose you're right."

But she wasn't really right. Not entirely. He didn't know what he felt for her back in the day. He just knew she had a way of getting under his skin. He was calling it love now, but perhaps she was right and he was reaching. Maybe it was more that he was obsessed with her back then. Not the same as love. But he felt like now he did love her. There were things he knew now that endeared her to him. It wasn't just about sex and a physical lust. It was about the person she was. Brave and kind and caring and smart. She was also quite funny and beautiful. He couldn't imagine his life without her now. But they had been together for awhile now and still she had not told him she loved him. He would tell her, but she never said it back. He was a little worried about that. And embarrassed. He would lay his heart open to her, and she didn't return the sentiment. Perhaps he was still unlovable? He was afraid to ask her. Maybe she didn't really believe his feelings were genuine? Perhaps she thought he didn't know what love was? But he did. He knew it very well. He just wished that she felt the same for him.

He looked at her in the darkened room and gave her a small smile.

"It's late, love. We should try and get back to sleep. Are you feeling better now?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah, I feel better. I guess we should sleep."

She snuggled down next to him and he put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"No more nightmares. Only sweet dreams," he whispered to her.

And they both eventually drifted off again into dreamless sleep, peaceful at last.

Draco walked down the street lost in his own thoughts. Ever since the night Hermione had her nightmare, he'd been thinking a lot about where their relationship was going. It still plagued him that she'd never told him how she felt for him. He thought maybe he hadn't done enough to show her his own feelings. Shagging her senseless only proved he lusted after her body. He wanted to do something special that showed he wanted to own her heart as well. So he had found a jewelry maker in London that specialized in personal pieces. He wanted something original. And he wanted to spare no expense too. He had commissioned the jeweler to make him a pendant made of diamonds in the shape of Draco the constellation. He smiled whenever he thought of seeing her wear that around her neck because it would be like a piece of him close to her heart. He was anxious to see what the pendant looked like after he'd gotten the call that it was ready to be picked up.

He opened up the shop door and walked inside. A man greeted him and he told him who he was and that he was there to pick up something. The man hurried in the back and brought out a black velvet box. He opened it up to show him. Inside was a gorgeous piece of jewelry. Sixteen sparkling diamonds arranged just so that they formed the constellation. It was perfect. No one else would know what it was. They'd just think it was an abstract piece.

"It's perfect. I need a chain to go with it. Platinum to match," he told the man.

"Very well sir. I'll show you what we have."

Draco wanted something delicate and thin so it would look at if the diamonds were stars suspended at her neck. He picked out a chain and the man rang up the purchase. Draco took it quickly and left. He wanted to plan a special evening for the two of them to go along with the gift. He wanted it to be private so he was going to take her to the park at night and have a picnic. He would take her to the special place he'd shown her before. It was the place where she first fell for him and had dragged him back to her place. When the evening came he had told her to meet him in the park. She had wondered why they were going there at night, but he told her it would be romantic. She seemed to like the idea and went along with it. She had dressed casually, just as he told her to do, and she walked up to find him waiting on a bench with a basket and a blanket sitting next to him.

"Hello," she said as she walked up to him and smiled.

"Hello yourself," he smiled and got up to kiss her. He took her hand and picked up the basket and blanket in the other hand. "Come on, we're going to go to that spot I showed you before."

"But it's so dark outside. We won't be able to see."

He pulled out his wand and held it up to her. "Lumos," he said quietly, and it lit up the area around them.

"Draco, you can't do that. Someone will see your wand," she told him seriously.

"So I'll say it's a fancy flashlight. Do you really think the Muggles will even notice us? There's no one here."

"What about that man?" she asked pointing towards a bum sleeping on a bench.

"Do you really think he's going to notice my wand? He's passed out cold."

"I just don't want you to get caught."

"Oh please, Hermione. Rules are meant to be broken," he smirked at her.

He led them through the trees and they disappeared out of anyone's sight. He found the perfect spot beside the stream and laid out the blanket on the ground. They both sat down and he opened up the basket. He pulled out some wine and glasses and handed them over to her. Then he pulled out some cheese and bread and some of her favorite biscuits.

"I know it's not all that much, but you know I don't cook. I figured this would tide us over," he told her.

"No it's perfect. And this is the expensive wine that you ordered for me that one time. I recognize the bottle."

He nodded. "I knew how much you liked it."

"You spent a fortune on this alone."

"You're worth it," he kissed her. "Here, let me open it up."

He used his wand again and opened it with that. The cork flew out and landed in the bushes somewhere. Hermione laughed.

"Be careful there. You almost put my eye out!" she chuckled.

"Sorry. I might need to refine that spell a bit," he grinned at her. Then he poured the wine and they clinked glasses. "To us," he said to her.

"To us. We are awesome," she grinned.

"We are, aren't we?"

"I think so. Two bad ass magically gifted people living in secret. We're like spies or something," she said wistfully.

"Who are we spying on? The Muggles?"

"Yes."

"They're rather boring. They don't do anything special. Although I did see a pick pocket earlier today. It was quite interesting. He sidled up to this man and just snatched the wallet right out of his back pocket without the man even noticing. Then he strolled off."

"You saw that happen in broad daylight?"

"Yeah, it was the most exciting thing I'd seen in London. Of course I wasn't gonna let the guy get away like that."

She looked at him with some astonishment. "You went after him?"

"No, of course not. But I did discreetly shoot a spell at him that made him trip and fall into a trash can. And then I simply told the other guy the man had taken his wallet. There was a fist fight. It was a bloody good time."

"Draco Malfoy, crime fighter. Perhaps you should be a policeman?" she said with a small smirk.

"Right. Me a policeman. I don't think the uniform suits me."

She giggled at the thought of him dressed up like the police. But she was a little surprised he had actually done something to help a Muggle who's wallet was stolen. He didn't have to do anything. She probably wouldn't have known what to do had she witnessed it.

"It was still nice of you to help," she told him, sipping her wine.

He shrugged, "I'd be right pissed if someone took my money. I just felt bad for the bloke. He wasn't dressed very smartly and probably didn't even have a lot to begin with."

She smiled at him. "I never knew you had such a compassionate streak. It's quite charming."

"I didn't do it for the brownie points or anything. It just seemed like the thing to do," he told her, suddenly self conscious of his actions.

"Well I'm proud of you. It was a lovely thing to do."

He liked having her proud of him. It felt nice. But that hadn't been why he did it. Or why he told her about it. He had just reacted. It wasn't really so strange because he always had his eye out for troublemakers so he could rat them out and get them into hot water. Of course the troublemakers he used to rat out were Hermione and her friends. But bygones, right? It still counted that he'd done something good for once in his life. No matter how small.

"I have a present for you," he told her, breaking the silence that had settled over them.

"A present? Really?" Her eyes lit up.

"Yes, I figured it was about time I actually started spoiling you like I said I would. And I know I've given you loads of flowers and such, but you deserved something special. So here it is," he said handing over the black velvet box.

She opened it up and was pleasantly surprised at what she found there. It was a beautiful necklace made of diamonds. She'd never owned a diamond before. She pulled it out of the box and held it up.

"It's gorgeous! I love it." She leaned over and kissed him.

"Do you know what it is?" he wondered.

"How could I forget? It's Draco. Right? The constellation," she grinned.

"Yes. I wasn't sure you'd remember what it looked like. I had it specially made for you. Now you have a piece of me to carry around with you always."

She was touched. It was a very romantic gesture. And original too. She knew no one else would even get the significance. But it meant the world to her.

"Put it on me," she told him, lifting up her hair.

He fastened it around her neck and let it fall across her throat. It sparkled just like real stars. Draco smiled at the sight.

"It looks even better on you than in the box."

"You are very thoughtful and creative. I love this. I'll wear it always," she promised. "I wish I had something special to give you."

"I don't need anything. I have you." He leaned over and kissed her passionately. He never wanted to stop kissing her, but he finally pulled back for air.

"You do have me, Draco. I'm yours," she whispered to him softly.

"Are you really?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

"No I suppose not," he answered with a small smile. He still hadn't heard the magic words from her. Maybe he never would? But he wasn't going to press it. "Come on love, drink your wine. Let's get a little drunk shall we?"

"I'm all for that. Being an adult is fun," she grinned as she took another sip of her wine. "I remember when I was a child my parents would always have wine with dinner. And I asked them if I could have some too. They told me no, it was for grown ups. But I didn't understand that. So one night when they were asleep I snuck out to the kitchen and found an open bottle on the counter. I reached up there and I chugged it. It was dreadful. I almost vomited right on the kitchen floor. But I kept drinking it. I wanted to understand why my parents liked it so well. I got very drunk and fell asleep under the kitchen table. When my parents found me the next morning, I was in so much trouble. You should have seen their faces."

Draco laughed at her story. He loved hearing about her life. "How old were you?" he wondered.

"Oh God, I think I was nine. Something like that."

"Hermione Granger, you were a very bad girl. I never would have guessed," he teased her.

"I'm not a priss like everyone always thought I was. I mean, yes, I like to follow rules and I'm very structured and bookish and rather nerdy. But I have done things. Lots of things that would surprise anyone," she said haughtily.

"Like what for example? Tell me something shocking you've done."

"Alright. Have you ever smoked a cigarette?" she asked him.

"A cigarette? You mean those Muggle cancer sticks? No. Have you?"

She nodded her head and grinned. "I did. I smoked one. Several actually. It was when I was fourteen and I was home for summer break. There was a neighbor girl I knew. We snuck out of the house and stole her mother's cigarettes. And we smoked them in the backyard behind a tool shed. It was very scandalous."

"You're lying. You never did that."

"I did to! I swear it. It was awful. I don't know why people smoke. It's disgusting. But I was curious. And I was sick of people at school always expecting me to be perfect and proper. Sometimes I just didn't want to be that way."

"You surprise me everyday. I thought you liked being little miss perfect. Adored by everyone."

"I wasn't adored by everyone. In fact I didn't really have many friends. Just Harry and Ron. And even they couldn't stand me when they first met me. They merely tolerated me," she admitted.

"Really? I thought you guys were always friends."

She shook her head. "No, it wasn't quite like that. I just sort of insinuated myself into their lives because they were the only people who would talk to me. And then one day I overheard Ron telling Harry how dreadful I was and how I was stupid to not realize everyone hated me."

"The Weasel said that about you? And you forgave him?" Draco was upset on her behalf.

"Of course I forgave him. Eventually. It wasn't until he and Harry saved me from that troll that got loose on Halloween. After that I guess he realized I wasn't so bad. And I conceded to just forget what he'd said about me. He was always saying stupid things anyway."

"Why did you ever fall for him? I'm serious. I'm not being a dick just because I don't like him. The more I hear about him, the less I understand your attraction to him. Surely you could have done better," he said confused.

She sighed. "You just don't know Ron like I do. He's a little dim when it comes to social graces. He lives with his foot permanently in his mouth. But he has a big heart. He can be really sweet. He's just clueless when it comes to women."

"I'll say. He sounds like a moron."

"He's not a moron."

"Have you talked to him at all?" Draco wondered.

She shook her head. "No. I figure it's best I don't try to be friendly to him. I want him to get over me."

"Good. I don't want you seeing him or talking to him. No good can come of that."

"Don't worry. The only person I've had contact with is Harry."

"So you two are good friends again then?"

"Yes. We talk a lot. He got a telephone just to be able to speak with me. It was much more convenient than sending owls. He knew it would look weird if I kept having an owl fly into my window all the time. You know, Harry is having a party next week. He invited me. I was rather shocked since Ginny isn't my biggest fan. And Ron will be there too."

"Are you going?" Draco asked somewhat surprised at this announcement.

"I don't think so. I told him I didn't know. He said you could come. I was pretty shocked. But I don't think it's the best idea."

"He actually invited me? Are you serious?" Draco was baffled.

She nodded. "I think it pained him to extend the invitation, but he said he really wanted me to be there."

"You should go then. I'll stay home. I don't want to make waves," he said quietly.

"I don't want to go without you. But I'm afraid to bring you. It's complicated. If Ron wasn't going to be there, it'd be different. But I don't know. That's why I think I'll just stay home."

Draco thought about it for a few minutes. Then he looked at her. "Do you want me in your life?" he asked.

"What? Of course."

"Do you want them in your life too?"

She hesitated a moment before she nodded. "Yes, I do."

"Well then sooner or later everyone is gonna have to get used to us being together. They're gonna have to get used to me being around. So I think we should go. It would be good. No more hiding out here. Let's just go to the party together and see what happens."

"Are you sure? I mean, this could be disastrous."

"I know. If I piss everyone off by being there, I'll just go. But if Harry said I could come, then I'm coming. Why shouldn't I?"

"Do you promise to be nice?"

"I don't know. Do they promise to be nice?" he shot back curiously.

"I certainly hope so."

"Are you ashamed of me?" he asked.

"No, not at all. Why would I be?"

"Then let's take a chance. I could use a party. Haven't been to one in ages. And this one is bound to be interesting at least."

"Okay. We'll go. I'll tell Harry."

She had a feeling this was a huge mistake. But she didn't know what to do. Draco was right. They shouldn't have to hide and she shouldn't have to lead two lives. Everyone needed to just get over themselves and let sleeping dogs lie. Draco wasn't the enemy anymore. He was her boyfriend. And everyone already knew it, so why not go to the party together? She just prayed it wouldn't blow up in their faces.

The night of the party, Hermione was insanely nervous. Her worlds were about to collide and she didn't know what kind of explosion it was going to make. She always thought of herself as brave, but she didn't feel brave tonight. She was scared. And Draco could tell she was freaking out.

"We can always stay home if you're that worried about it," he told her as he watched her pace back and forth in her kitchen.

"No. We said we'd go. And they're expecting us. I just need to get over my nerves. I wish I had something to drink here," she said opening up her cabinets and not finding any sort of liquor or wine.

Draco pulled out a flask from his pocket and held it up. "Try some of this. It'll relax you."

She walked over to him and took the flask. "What is it?"

"It's Firewhisky. I know you hate it, but it works."

She nodded her head and took a big swig out of the flask. She made a yucky face and wiped her mouth. "Oh that's awful."

"But do you feel more relaxed?"

"No. I just feel like I set my throat on fire and I'm still nervous."

"Let's just get it over with, shall we? You're stalling. We were already supposed to be there fifteen minutes ago."

"Okay, okay. Just remember, steer clear of Ron. And don't kiss me. And don't feel me up or anything either. Just be a gentlemen. And if you see Ginny, go the other direction. Oh and don't make fun of anyone," she rattled off her list to him.

"What am I allowed to do then? Hide in the corner with my face to the wall? Lighten up. I'm not gonna cause trouble. I'll be good."

She finally relented and they set off to the party. They apparated in front of Harry's house and they could see lights on and the music was quite loud. She wasn't sure how many people would be in there but she was hoping to just blend into the woodwork. She took a deep breath and they marched up the steps. The door was open, likely because the music was so loud no one would hear anyone knocking. So they just walked inside. Hermione took in their surroundings and noted that the place was decorated elaborately with flashing lights and twinkling stars on the ceiling. There were people everywhere. She had no idea Harry had this many friends. She recognized some people from school. Like she spied Luna dancing by herself in a corner, lost in her own imagination just like usual. But the she noticed Neville was with her and he was just standing there watching her dance with a goofy grin on his face. It was clear he liked her and Harry had told her they were seeing each other now. As her eyes scanned the crowd looking for Harry, she spotted Ron in the corner with a drink in his hand. He was alone and she didn't want him to see her, so she quickly grabbed Draco's hand and ushered them into a group of people who were milling about on the opposite side of the room.

"I don't know any of these people," Draco leaned down and shouted in her ear. "I think it's pretty safe no one's gonna care I'm here."

"I saw Ron in the corner. He'll care. That's why we're over here now. So just stay put for now. I can't find Harry," she told him.

Just then Harry finally appeared carrying a tray of food to a table. He saw Hermione and Draco standing in the crowd and he waved at Hermione as he made his way over to her.

"You made it. I didn't think you'd actually show," he said to her loudly, over the music.

"Did you not want me to show?" she asked.

"No, no. Of course not. I'm glad you're here." Then he looked at Draco. He really wanted to punch him for no reason, but he bit back that impulse. He extended his hand to Draco. "Draco."

Draco looked at his outstretched hand and was confused why he was holding it out. Surely they weren't going to shake hands? But when Harry waited expectantly, he reached out and took his hand and shook it brusquely. "Harry. Thanks for not banning me from your party." Draco said with a slightly pained expression on his face.

"Yes, well, Hermione wanted you here. So, yeah. Welcome to my home." Harry had never felt more awkward in his life. And neither had Draco. "Well I've got to go find Ginny. I'll see you guys around the party." Harry said as he disappeared into the crowd.

Draco looked at Hermione. "He shook my hand. What was with that? How bizarre and unsettling. It was almost as bad as Voldemort hugging me in front of the whole school."

Hermione laughed in spite of her nerves. "No Draco, nothing could be more bizarre than that hug, trust me."

"But Harry willingly shook my hand. Did you pay him to do that?"

"No. He was just being polite. It's not as if he welcomed you to the family. Just forget about it. Let's find some booze," she told him, taking his hand and dragging him along the party.

They found a table loaded with liquor and beer and wine and they helped themselves. Hermione was drinking more Firewhisky hoping it would actually get her drunk. It might be the only way to get through this.

Just then Ginny spotted them. She was with Harry, but she broke away from him and marched over to Hermione and Draco.

"Hermione. I'm surprised you came," Ginny said in a clipped tone.

"I was invited. In fact, we were both invited," she said, indicating Draco.

"Yes, well Harry thought it was good to make nice. And I want you to know that I'm trying. I mean, honestly I don't care who you date. It's just that I thought you and Ron were perfect together. My mum was so upset. Everyone thought you would get married. I don't understand what happened," she said giving Draco a dirty look.

"I'm sorry Ginny. Sometimes things just don't work out. I don't want you to hate me," Hermione said with pleading eyes.

"I don't hate you," Ginny sighed. "But this guy?" she pointed at Draco. "I don't like him. And I remember when you didn't like him either. What changed?"

"Everything changed. You don't know him like I do."

Ginny just looked Draco up and down with some distaste. "You're not really all that, you know. I've seen better looking blokes than you," she told him somewhat nastily.

"Did I ever say I was God's gift? I didn't say anything. And as if I care what your opinion is. Have you looked in a mirror lately? I reckon there's better looking bints out there too," Draco shot back at her angrily.

"You're an asshole."

"Well you're a right bitch."

Hermione stood between them and held her arms out. "Stop it! Both of you! We're all supposed to be getting along. So just shut the fuck up!"

Draco and Ginny both stared at her, surprised to hear such language from her mouth. But it was clear she meant business. They both backed down.

"Alright. I'll shut up. But she started it," Draco pointed out.

"You deserved to be brought down a peg," Ginny shot back.

"I'm not on my high horse tonight. I'm just bloody standing here saying nothing. Why don't you just leave us be. You're worse than your brother."

Ginny composed herself and took a deep breath. She looked away from Draco and back at Hermione. "I'm sorry. I really did try to be nice but it's too hard. And I'm a little drunk so I'm going to go."

She walked away and Hermione just looked miserable. "You didn't have to call her a bitch," she muttered to Draco.

"Did you hear what she called me?"

"Yes."

"Well don't expect me to just take abuse. What does Potter see in that girl anyway?"

"Let's go out back. It might be safer there for us. But bring the drinks. In fact, just bring that whole bottle with you," she told Draco.

He grabbed the bottle of Firewhisky and they set off out the back door. There were people out there talking and dancing, but it was much less crowded. They milled about, drinking as much as they could and not talking to anyone. And thankfully no one was talking to them either. At least until Harry came outside looking for them.

"There you are, Hermione. I was looking for you. Listen, I'm sorry about Ginny. She told me she had a bit of an episode," Harry said apologetically.

"Yes, she did. But it's fine. It's not like I expected a miracle."

"She's really sorry."

"Sorry to Hermione or to me? I'm the one she insulted repeatedly," Draco piped up.

Harry looked at him. "I think she's sorry for upsetting Hermione. I don't think she cares what you think. Sorry."

"What did I ever do to her anyway? I barely remember even seeing her much less getting on her bad side," Draco told Harry.

"I don't think it's really you that's bothering her. She's just upset on Ron's behalf. You could be anyone and she'd hate you right now," Harry explained.

"Well everyone needs to get over it. I'm here and I'm ready to fucking party. I'm going back inside," Draco said leaving them outside. He was pretty drunk and didn't really feel like talking to Harry. And Hermione was momentarily forgotten. He was determined to stop hiding away outside like a leper. He didn't know most of these people so why not just talk to them?

He walked inside, stumbling a little along the way and ran into some red haired girl that was thankfully not Ginny. He looked at her. "Are you a Weasley?" he asked.

She shook her head, "No, I'm not. Why?"

"Oh good, then you might actually be pleasant to talk to. I'm Draco. What's your name? he asked drunkenly.

"It's Mary Beth. And are you Draco Malfoy?"

"Yeah. You heard of me?"

"Yes. I have. And I really think I should be going now," she said turning on her heel and walking away from him.

"Stupid bint. As if I liked you anyway. I have a girl already," he muttered drunkenly under his breath. Apparently he was notorious. That was just what he feared and the exact reason he ran off to London. "Oh well, plenty of other people to talk to," he said as he pushed his way through the party.

He finally found a person who had no idea who he was. Some guy named Bradley Winters. He seemed a good enough bloke. He was amusing Draco with stories about his job at St. Mungo's. He was a healer in training. And apparently people got themselves into all sorts of ridiculous trouble with spells gone awry.

"So one time, this guy came in with polka dots all over his body. He was trying to get rid of acne and ended up looking like a circus tent. It was hilarious!" Bradley told Draco.

Draco laughed along with him and had found another drink that he was gulping furiously. He had no idea where Hermione had gone to. He expected her to eventually follow him inside, but he hadn't seen her. Maybe she was faring better without him at her side? Just then he saw a shock of bright orange hair coming towards him through the crowd of people. Before he could react, Ron was right in front of him.

"You have some nerve coming to this party. I don't care if Harry invited you," he confronted him bitterly.

"I can do whatever I want. And you can't stop me," Draco told him firmly.

"Oh yeah?" Ron asked as he flung the drink out of Draco's hand. It flew across the room and hit some girl in the back. And before Draco could respond Ron punched him right in the face.

"Bloody hell! What did you do that for?" Draco hissed as he held his nose and felt blood pouring down his face.

"Because I fucking hate you, that's why. I'm gonna kick your sorry arse!" Ron lunged for him and Draco ducked out of the way. Ron stumbled when he missed his target, but then he whirled around and tried to go after Draco again. This time Draco pulled out his wand and aimed it at Ron's face.

"Don't fucking lay a hand on me or you'll regret it," he said angrily.

At that moment, Hermione pushed her way through the crowd when she heard the commotion. She saw Draco standing there with a bloody nose pointing his wand at Ron, who was just staring him down and fuming.

"Stop! Both of you! Right now!" she ran over to them and stood in the middle.

"Do you see what your ex did to my face?" Draco asked her.

"I see it, I see it." She turned to Ron. "What did you do?"

"I punched him. He deserved it. I think I broke my hand," he muttered shaking his hand out and flexing his fingers.

"Draco put your wand away. Now!" she shouted at him.

Draco just stared at her for a minute and then he relented and put it back in his pocket.

"Keep him away from me," he told Hermione.

"I told you to steer clear of him," she reminded him.

"I did! I was nowhere near him. He pushed his way through the crowd and just punched me! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"This is ridiculous. All of you are ridiculous. Why did I think everyone could just get along?" Hermione cried. "I'm leaving!"

She turned around and shoved her way through the crowd of people towards the door. Draco ran after her. "Wait! Hermione! I swear I didn't do anything wrong!" he called after her, but she wasn't listening. She was too upset that the whole evening was a bust. It had been a mistake to think that she and Draco could mingle with her old friends without chaos ensuing. It just wasn't possible.

Draco ran after her out the door and caught her arm just as she disapparated, so he was dragged along with her. They landed on a sidewalk somewhere in the city. It was clear she wasn't thinking straight because anyone could have seen them. She always used the alleyway by her house.

"Hermione, where are we?" he asked her.

"I don't know. I was thinking about how I wished to just escape and then I ended up here," she told him with tears in her eyes.

"I don't think anyone saw us," he said as he looked around at the deserted street.

"I don't care if they did see! Haul me off to Azkaban! Who really cares anymore?" she cried.

"Please calm down. So the night didn't work out well. It's not the end of the world," he tried to calm her down.

"Just leave me alone, Draco. This is never going to work. I don't know what I was thinking. I can't stay hidden away forever and it's clear that you don't fit into my world back home. So just go. Please. Just forget about me," she said tearfully.

"You don't mean that. I tried my best at that party! Ron attacked me. I didn't provoke him. Hermione don't do this. Don't leave me," he pleaded with her.

"I think we both know this relationship had a shelf life, Draco. Who were we kidding? Your parents don't approve of me and my friends hate you. We'll never work."

Draco was starting to panic. She couldn't be breaking up with him, could she? He feared this day, but things had been so good. How could she mean these words? He didn't understand.

"Hermione, I love you. We'll make it work. We'll run away together. Just you and me. There are other magical places besides England. We can go anywhere and just start new. Just don't leave me. Please don't act like this is over, because it's not," he said feeling tears come to his eyes.

"I-I just have to get out of here. I'm sorry." She turned around and started to run across the street to get away from him. She couldn't stand to break another heart. She just wanted to run as fast as she could.

What she didn't see was the car that was coming straight for her. It was speeding down the road and she was right in the middle of it. Draco saw it coming and he screamed out her name. "Hermione, look out!"

She turned and saw the car but her feet wouldn't move. Draco ran out into the street as fast as he could and he shoved her with all his might out of the way of the car. But it was too late for him. The car smashed right into him and he flew over the hood and hit the windshield. Then he rolled off the car and onto the pavement below. Hermione picked herself up off the ground and ran over to him.

"Oh my God, Draco! Draco!" she shook him, but there was no response. His head had smashed right into the windshield and he was bleeding profusely from a wound on his head.

The driver of the car got out and started panicking. "I'm so sorry! Oh my God! I didn't see him until it was too late! Oh God, is he dead?" the woman cried out.

"No! No, he can't be dead!" She felt his neck for a pulse and leaned over him to see if he was breathing. "Call an ambulance!" she shouted at the woman. "Hurry!"

The woman rushed off to find a phone and Hermione stayed with Draco. He was alive. But barely. His breathing was very shallow and she noticed that his shirt was also soaking with blood. He must have wounds she couldn't see underneath his clothes.

"Oh please Draco, be okay. I'm sorry I ran off. This is my fault. It's all my fault." She cradled his head in her lap and began sobbing uncontrollably. She had wanted to leave him tonight after how disastrous the party had been. But it was stupid. She couldn't leave him. She realized now that she actually loved him.

**Feedback is appreciated! I hope you'll continue to read along! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

The ambulance arrived fairly quickly and they loaded Draco up. They let Hermione ride with them as they sped towards the hospital. She wanted to hold his hand, but the paramedics kept telling her to stay back. They were working on him and saying all sorts of scary things about internal injuries and brain damage. She was scared out of her mind. And when they got to the hospital they whisked him away and wouldn't let her follow. They told her to wait in the waiting area. She sat down numbly in a chair and noticed she had blood all over her clothes. Draco's blood. Blood he spilled while saving her life. If he hadn't of pushed her out of the way, she would be the one in the hospital fighting for life. If he died, it would be her fault. And she didn't know if she could live with herself after that. Especially because she'd never told him how she felt. She'd never said 'I love you' to him, even though he'd told her countless times. What was wrong with her? Why didn't she tell him? The truth was, she was scared. Scared to love him. But it had happened anyway. She couldn't stop it. And now she couldn't imagine her life without him in it. No matter what anyone else thought. It just didn't seem to matter anymore. He just had to pull through so she could tell him. He couldn't die without knowing he was loved.

She sat there for what seemed like forever and no one would tell her anything. They just kept saying they were working on him still. She was going crazy and didn't want to be alone. She was scared. So she went to a payphone and dialed up Harry. She knew his party was probably still in full swing and he might not hear the phone. But she willed him to answer. Luck was on her side because he finally picked up.

"Harry? It's me. You've got to come. There was an accident. I-I don't want to be alone. I'm scared," she cried into the phone.

"What happened? You left so suddenly. What sort of accident? Are you alright? Where are you?" Harry asked her frantically.

She explained about the accident and how Draco had saved her. And she told him what hospital she was at and begged him to come sit with her. He didn't hesitate.

"I'll be right there. It's going to be alright, Hermione. I promise you."

"Please hurry," she whispered sadly.

"I will," Harry assured her. And then he hung up quickly.

It only took five minutes for Harry to walk through the doors. Thank goodness for magic. He saw Hermione sitting in a chair covered in blood and he rushed over to her.

"Oh my God, is this your blood? Are you hurt too?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "No, it's Draco's blood. There was so much of it, Harry. I-I don't know if he'll make it," she cried and just collapsed into his arms.

Harry sat next to her and held her tightly. "It'll be okay. He's tough. He'll pull through."

"You didn't see how broken he looked. And it's my fault. I ran into the street without looking. I didn't see the car. He pushed me out of the way just in time. If he hadn't, that would be me in there."

"It's lucky he was there to save you. I owe him one now. So he better live because I know he'll be smug about it. Me owing him one. You know he'll pull through just to lord that over my head," Harry told her, trying to lighten the mood.

"I know everyone hates him, but Harry, he's not the same person he used to be. I love him," Hermione admitted to him.

"I know you do. That's why I tried to make everything better tonight. I thought if he mingled with our friends, it would help smooth things over. It was a stupid plan though. Ron and Ginny are just too stubborn. And you know that Draco was telling the truth about Ron attacking him unprovoked. He admitted it to me. Draco didn't do anything to him. Ron was just drunk and stupid."

"Are you actually defending Draco?" she was surprised at his words.

Harry sighed. "I guess I am. At least a little. You know he's never going to be my favorite person, but I know he's different. If he wasn't, you wouldn't love him. And he wouldn't have risked his life tonight to save yours."

"He really does love me, Harry. Look what he gave me," she said showing him her necklace.

"It's pretty. What is it?" he asked curiously.

"It's the constellation of Draco done up with diamonds. He wanted me to wear it always so he'd be near to my heart. He's really rather mushy and sentimental. You'd never guess it. And he'd hate me for telling you about his softer side. But it exists. He's very loving and good to me, Harry. Believe me, I'm just as surprised as you are. I hated that prat so much. And now look at me. It's crazy, I know. But I really do love him with all my heart. And if I lose him…"

"You won't lose him. I promise."

"How can you promise me that?"

"I don't know. I just know that he's strong. He has to be okay. We can't let ourselves think otherwise."

Hermione nodded and wished she could believe him. But Harry wasn't a fortune teller. Neither of them really knew what the outcome would be. But he sat there with her and held her while they waited. Finally a doctor came out and was looking for Hermione.

"Are you the young lady who came in with Draco Malfoy?" he asked as he approached her.

She stood up quickly. "Yes. Is he alright? Can I see him?"

"I'm afraid he's in surgery right now. He had some internal bleeding that we believe is from a ruptured spleen. He also has quite a bump on the head. He hasn't regained consciousness and frankly we're unsure if he ever will. The damage might be far too extensive. His brain is swelling and we plan to make a cut in his skull to relieve the pressure. I'm afraid he's not out of the woods, but he is stable. I'll know more once he gets out of surgery."

Hermione slumped down and felt like she was going to pass out. Harry caught her and helped her into a chair.

"This can't be happening," she muttered as she started crying again.

"What are his chances realistically?" Harry asked the doctor.

"I'm afraid I don't know. The spleen is an easy fix. We'll just remove it if we can't repair it. However the brain injury is less certain. We just won't know the extent of the damage until further tests can be run. I'm very sorry. Are you two family?"

"I'm his girlfriend," Hermione spoke up.

"Well if he has any family, perhaps you should let them know. They might want to be here just in case…"

"He doesn't pull through?" Harry finished for him.

The doctor nodded and Hermione cried harder. The doctor walked away and left them there to contemplate the news they'd just been given. Harry may not have liked Draco, but he never wished him dead. Or brain damaged. And especially now that Hermione loved him, he had even more reason to wish for his recovery. He just didn't know what to do to comfort her. He wished the news had been better.

"Do you want to go summon his parents?" Harry asked Hermione quietly, rubbing her back.

"Oh God, his parents. How am I going to tell them this? They'll be devastated."

"I could come with you, if you want."

Hermione looked at him with surprise. "You would? You'd go to the Malfoy's house of your own free will?"

"I won't enjoy it, but I'll do it for you."

Hermione shook her head. "No, that's alright. I'll go myself. Will you stay here and wait for word? I don't even know if I can get onto the grounds to tell the Malfoy's. They have passwords and charms set up. I don't know how I'm going to get their attention."

"You'll figure it out. I'll wait here for you to come back."

"Thank you Harry. This means a lot to me."

"Don't mention it. It's what friends do." He hugged her tightly and then he looked down at her clothes. "You might want to change your outfit before you show up at the Malfoy's. All that blood."

She looked down and realized he was right. She looked like a disaster victim and didn't really want to horrify his parents with the sight of all their son's blood on her clothes. She went into a bathroom and waved her wand over herself and new clothes appeared. She smoothed them down and she washed up her hands and face in the sink. She looked as presentable as she could. It's not like they'd be critiquing her appearance once she told them why she was there. She looked around the bathroom and noted it was deserted, so she just apparated out of there and landed in front of Malfoy Manor. She stood at the gate and looked up at the gargoyle perched there. Draco had said something Latin to it, but she had no idea what it was. She tried calling out to them over the fence but the driveway was far too long and the house was too far away. They'd never hear her. So she decided to try and climb the fence. She got all the way up to the top and tried to jump down into the yard, but a shield charm threw her back onto the ground outside the fence.

"God damn it. Stupid fucking charms. What am I going to do?" she muttered to herself. She knew of a few spells to break down barriers. She'd read up on things like that in case it was ever needed when they were on the run. But she didn't know what magic was guarding the property or which spell to try. So she tried them all. And finally one of them worked. She fell down off the fence when the barrier broke and landed in the yard surrounded by white peacocks. They were just staring at her when suddenly a caterwauling charm went off. She held her ears and tried to pick herself up off the ground. She walked closer to the house and suddenly the front door burst open and Lucius came storming out with his wand raised.

"Who goes there? I am armed and I will kill. Show yourself!" he yelled out.

"It's me. Please don't kill me." Hermione held up her hands and stood there until he saw who she was.

He frowned and waved his wand to turn the alarm off. The silence finally filled the air. Then he lowered his wand and looked at the disheveled Hermione curiously.

"What on earth are you doing in my yard at this time of night, Miss Granger? Where is Draco?" he asked her.

"That's why I'm here. There's been an accident. Draco is hurt. You need to come with me," she explained to him.

His face went white and she saw his hands start to shake slightly.

"Draco is hurt? How badly? What happened to him?"

"A car hit him. He's in a hospital in London. You need to get his mother and come with me."

Lucius stood there for a moment trying to take the information in. He finally walked over to Hermione, who looked ready to drop, and he held his arm out to her.

"Come inside with me. You'll need to explain to us what happened."

She followed him inside and found Narcissa standing on the staircase wondering what was going on. It was clear they had been ready for bed, if not asleep. They were both in bed clothes.

"Miss Granger? What are you doing here?" she asked confusedly.

"Cissy, there's been an accident. It's Draco. She says he was hit by a car," Lucius explained to his wife.

"What? A car? Oh lord, how did this happen? Is he okay?"

"I don't know yet. The doctors say he might have brain damage," Hermione choked out and started crying again.

Narcissa gasped and fell to her knees on the stairs.

"No, no. Not my Draco. This can't be happening. After all he went through," she began crying herself.

Lucius went to her and put his arm around her.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. Draco is a fighter. But we must go. Get dressed. We need to go to the hospital," he told her gently. Then he looked at Hermione. "We'll be right back."

She nodded and wiped her eyes. It didn't take them long before they came back down and were dressed in their usual clothing. Draco's mother was still crying and she put her arm around Hermione as they walked out the door.

"Thank you for coming to tell us," she said to Hermione.

"It's no problem. I'm sorry I set off your alarm and scared you."

"It's quite alright. How did you break through anyway?"

"I know some spells. Quite a lot of them actually. But this was my first time breaking and entering. But I had a good reason."

They all walked to the outside fence and the two of them held onto Hermione as she whisked them out of there and back to the hospital. She didn't know of a secret place to land so they just showed up in front of the building. Some people were milling about and saw them appear, but none of them cared. Let the Muggles wonder what just happened. It wasn't really important right now. They all rushed inside and Harry jumped up when he saw them enter. Hermione went to him.

"Any news?" she asked.

"No, nothing yet."

Lucius looked at Harry with some distaste. "What are _you_ doing here?" he asked gruffly.

"I'm here for Hermione."

"Very well. I suppose that's alright." Lucius said haughtily.

"As if you could ban me from a public hospital. I helped save your neck, remember? I urged the Ministry to let you go," Harry reminded him.

Lucius thought for a moment and then said nothing. "Who is in charge here? I need to speak to someone who knows something," he said finally.

Harry pointed at the front desk and Lucius took his wife and marched over there. Hermione sat down with Harry again and they watched as Lucius began shouting at the desk nurse.

"What do you mean he's in surgery? Get him out. He needs a proper hospital. I'm afraid this one won't do. We would like to move him immediately," he bellowed out so loudly everyone could hear him.

Hermione only guessed that the response was no because Lucius marched off disgustedly and came to sit with his wife near Harry and Hermione.

"They say he can't be moved. But he belongs at St. Mungo's where they actually know what they're doing. This filthy place will probably kill him for sure," he said to no one in particular.

"They have good doctors," Hermione piped up.

"Doctors. Muggle medicine is so behind the times. They can't heal properly. Why did you not immediately take him to St. Mungo's?" he asked Hermione angrily.

"I-I didn't think of it. We called an ambulance. This is where they take people. What was I supposed to do? He was dying!"

Narcissa wiped a tear out of her eye and held Lucius's arm. "Don't berate the girl. She did her best. We'll get him moved. We just have to wait until he's out of surgery."

Everyone was quiet and you could hear a pin drop. It seemed to take a lifetime before a doctor appeared again. But finally one did. He came over and spoke with them all.

"Are you the parents?" he asked the Malfoy's.

"Yes we are. How is my son?"

"He's doing as well as to be expected. We removed his spleen and patched up his liver. He'll recover fine from that. We're just concerned about the head injury now. He's still unconscious, but that's to be expected after the surgery."

"How soon can we move him? We have a private hospital that we'd like him to be at," Lucius told the doctor.

He scratched his head. "Well I wouldn't move him if I were you. He's not stable enough for transport."

"I'm coming back in the morning with my own medical professionals. And we will be moving him. He doesn't belong here."

"Fine. It's your call. You can sign him out against medical advice. But I don't recommend it."

"Mr. Malfoy, perhaps it's best you leave him here for awhile?" Hermione said to him softly.

"No. He needs healers. People who will know how to help him better than these Muggles. He's my son, so you have no say in what I chose to do." Lucius told her gruffly.

"Alright. But will you let me come with you?" she asked.

"He needs his family right now."

Narcissa stood up and came over to them. She put her arm around Hermione. "Lucius, she loves our son. That much is quite clear. And you know he loves her. Don't keep them apart. Not now."

Lucius just stared at his wife and wished she hadn't been so encouraging of Draco's relationship with Hermione. He tolerated it because he had choice. But he still hadn't given up hope that it was a passing fancy and Draco would eventually come to his senses. But it didn't look like that was the case. At least not right now.

"Very well. You can come. But we must go now. We need to set up for his transfer first thing in the morning. And it's very late. Perhaps you should go home as well, Miss Granger."

She shook her head. "No I'm staying here. What if he wakes up? I-I can't go. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow morning."

They departed and Harry and Hermione were left in the waiting area. "Are you sure you're going to stay? He probably will be asleep for awhile," Harry told her softly.

"I'm sure. I need to be here. But you can go, Harry. Thank you for coming to keep me sane. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"It's fine. Anything you need, just let me know."

She hugged Harry and watched him leave. And then she sat down again with her head in her hands. Time ticked by very slowly and a doctor came out to check on her.

"Miss? Are you with the Malfoy fellow?" he asked her.

She stood up quickly. "Yes, yes I am. Is he awake?"

He shook his head. "No I'm afraid not. But he is stable now and in the ICU. Would you like to see him?"

Hermione nodded very quickly. "Yes. I would like to see him very much."

The doctor led her to the elevator and told her, "Don't expect much now. I don't know if he can hear you or not. But you can try to talk to him. The preliminary tests we've run show brain activity. So this is all very promising. But I don't want to give you false hopes either."

"Right. No false hopes. But this means he's not brain dead, right?"

"Yes, he's not. We just aren't certain exactly if there was damage. He could have memory loss or loss of motor functions. We just don't know yet. And if his parents move him out of our care, then I'm afraid he could take a downturn. Do you know why they are so intent on moving him? This hospital is one of the finest."

"It's a long story. They know some doctors. Personal friends. They'd prefer he be under their care." Hermione made up a story as best she could.

"Very well then. He's right in this room." The doctor pointed to a curtain area and left Hermione alone.

She walked towards the curtain and pulled it back. Draco was lying there with machines whirling around him and a ventilator making him breathe. His head was wrapped with gauze that was tinged with blood. But his face looked almost angelic. He looked peaceful. Just like he was sleeping. She walked over and bent down and kissed his dry lips. She was afraid to touch him anywhere else because of the surgeries. But she sat down and took his hand, which had an IV in it with some sort of medicine pumping through it.

"Draco? Can you hear me? It's Hermione. I'm sorry I ran off. It was stupid of me. I know you asked me not to leave you, and I promise I won't. I'm here."

There was no response, just as expected. But she hoped maybe he could hear her voice. She couldn't believe this was happening. Draco had survived a war and then something as stupid as a speeding car might end his life. It might have damaged his beautiful mind. What if he was never the same again? What if he didn't remember her when he woke up? There were so many possibilities. She couldn't bear to think of them all. She eventually fell asleep in the chair at his bedside and was awoken when Lucius had stormed in early in the morning.

"Has he woken?" he asked her curiously.

She shook her head and wiped the sleep out of her eyes. "No, but I was talking to him. I hope he could hear me."

"His mother is beside herself. She's in the bathroom trying to pull herself together. But I've arranged for a team of healers to escort him to St. Mungo's right away. They're waiting downstairs with a proper ambulance so as not to arouse suspicion of the Muggles. Then soon enough he will be getting the finest care available. I'll see to it," he reassured Hermione.

She stood back while they busied around Draco getting him ready for transport. She just tried to stay out of the way. They wouldn't let her come along in the ambulance because there wasn't room. But she told them she'd meet them at St. Mungo's as soon as she could get there. She wanted to go home and take a shower and feed her cat first. She was running on auto pilot. When she arrived at St. Mungo's they directed her to the correct floor but informed her that the healers were busily working away on him and he could receive no visitors. His parents appeared to be gone, but she wasn't sure if they were lurking about elsewhere. But she just sat down in the waiting room hallway and chewed on her fingernails nervously. After awhile someone approached her, but she didn't look up right away.

"Hermione?"

She recognized the voice and looked up. "Ron? What are you doing here?"

"Harry told me what happened. I'm really sorry. It's my fault. I started some shit and it made you run off. I know that if I hadn't of attacked Draco, you wouldn't have left like that. And then you wouldn't have been running out into the street. I'm sorry," he told her sincerely. He felt like a complete ass.

"I rather thought you'd be pleased to know Draco was hurt," she said somewhat coldly.

"Of course I'm not pleased. I mean, yeah, I wanted to hurt him. But not like this. I just punched him in the face. I don't wish he was dead. I know you couldn't live with that," he told her softly.

"You're right. I couldn't live with that. I know you don't understand, but I love him."

Ron hated hearing her say that, but he knew as much. He'd been told as much. Plus it was written all over her face.

"I don't understand how you could love him, but I know you do. And I still love you, so that means I want you to be happy. Even if it's without me. So that's why I'm here. To tell you I'm sorry. And to be your friend. If you want me to be, that is," he said unsure of her feelings.

She looked up at him with tearstained cheeks and managed a smile. "Of course I still want to be your friend. I always have. I just didn't think you'd ever be able to do it."

"It's not easy, mind you. Losing you to Malfoy. It bloody well sucks. But I don't want to see you hurting. So I promise that when he wakes up, I won't punch him again."

"You'd better not."

"I won't. I wasn't thinking clearly last night. I'd had a lot to drink."

"We all did. I think that's one of the reasons this happened. I was intoxicated and hysterical and I just ran out into the street like an idiot. I didn't even see the car. Not until it was too late. This is my fault, not yours," she cried unhappily.

Ron sat down next to her and patted her gently on the shoulder. "It's okay. At least you're alright. That could have been you that got hit."

"It should have been me. But Draco pushed me out of the way."

"That's what Harry told me. I never thought he had it in him to do something heroic. A couple of years ago if you told me Draco Malfoy would do something selfless and heroic and I would have eaten my wand."

"He's really not as bad as you think he is."

"Really? Because he's always a total dick to me," Ron pointed out.

"Well so are you. You don't exactly treat him friendly. What do you expect?"

Ron shrugged slightly. "I guess you have a point."

"I don't expect you to be his friend, Ron. But you could at least be civil. For my sake. And tell your sister the same. Ginny was really rude last night."

"Aw, I can't control Ginny. She's got a mind of her own. But I'll try and talk to her. For you."

"Good."

They were silent for a time and then Ron finally asked, "So is there any word about how he's doing?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, not really. Just that they're working on him. I don't know what they can do for him here that the Muggle hospital wasn't doing. But his father was insistent he be brought here. I don't know. Perhaps magic can fix more than medicine can? I hope so."

"I'm sure it can. I mean, Muggles can't regrow bones and such. I'm sure they're doing a good job. He'll be good as new."

"I hope."

Eventually Ron left, after hugging Hermione and wishing her luck. She was glad to have seen him and have it be a civil conversation. She had missed him a lot. Even if her feelings for him were no longer romantic, she still missed him in her life. Perhaps now they could at least be on speaking terms again. She knew it had taken a lot for Ron to come visit her there and say he was sorry. She gave him credit for that. She certainly never expected it.

A week had now gone by and Draco's condition remained unchanged. His parents were there every day, along with her, but he just wasn't waking up. The healers said they could do no more. Now it was just up to him whether or not he would wake. They had repaired the hole they cut in his head to relieve the swelling and said his brain was back to normal and appeared fully functioning. But they wouldn't know exactly how well he fared until he actually opened his eyes. Hermione was sitting by his bedside, holding his hand, like she always did when he finally began to stir. At first his hand gripped hers tightly and she looked at him to see if there were other signs of life. He finally moved his head to the side and opened up his eyes sleepily. He stared at her face as if he didn't recognize her.

"Draco? Draco, it's me. Are you alright?" she asked him frantically.

He just stared at her for a moment and then he looked at his body lying in the hospital bed. He seemed very confused.

"Where am I?" he finally choked out, his voice hoarse.

"You're in the hospital. You were hit by a car. Do you remember?"

He stared at her and blinked his eyes a few times.

"Who are you?" he asked her curiously.

Her expression fell and she tried not to burst into tears. He didn't remember her. How could this be? But before she could burst into tears he smirked at her.

"I'm kidding. I got you good, Granger," he started to laugh, but it pained him to do so and he grimaced and held his stomach. "Ouch. Laughing isn't good," he muttered.

She wanted to smack him. How could he play a trick on her at a time like this?

"That was not funny, Draco," she said giving him a hard look. "I thought you had amnesia."

"Relax love, I remember you. I remember everything. At least I think I do. Did you break up with me?" he asked her softly.

She shook her head. "No. I didn't. It was a mistake. A stupid mistake. I was angry and drunk and I'm sorry. But no. We're not broken up. I promise."

"Good. Because I distinctly remember you telling me to leave you alone and that we had a shelf life," he said sadly.

"I didn't mean it. I was talking crazy. I just went mental for a moment. I'm so sorry, Draco. It's my fault you got hurt. If I had been paying attention…"

He squeezed her hand. "Don't. It's alright. I'm just glad you're okay. When I saw that car coming, I was so scared," he admitted to her, choking up.

She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the mouth. "Shh, you saved me. It's because of you I'm alright. But I thought I'd lost you. They said you may never wake up," she had tears in her eyes.

"How long have I been here?"

"A week."

"A week? God, you must have been so worried. And my parents? Do they know?"

"Yes, of course. I ran and got them right after you were admitted to the other hospital. The one in London. They had you moved here to St. Mungo's."

"Are they here now?"

She shook her head. "No, not right now. They just left a bit ago. Should I get them?"

"No, it's alright. They'll be back. My mother must be a shambles."

"It's been hard on her. Hard for all of us who love you."

He looked at her and smiled as best he could. "Love me?"

"Yes."

"You love me?"

She took his hands and held them tightly. "I should have told you a long time ago, Draco. I-I was scared. It was stupid of me. But yes, I love you. I love you madly. And I don't want to ever let you go."

She leaned over and kissed him again and didn't want to stop, but she was afraid to hurt him so she pulled back and smiled at him.

"So it takes me almost dying for you to say it, huh?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I guess so."

"Why were you so scared?"

"I don't know. Because I didn't know if we could really work out. I was afraid to get hurt. But I know now that there was no stopping it even if I didn't say anything. I still felt it."

"You don't have to be scared anymore. We'll work out. Somehow, some way. I don't care what anyone else thinks. I only care what you think."

She kissed him again lightly and then she told him, "I better get the healers and tell them you're awake."

"Yeah, ask them when I can leave. I don't want to be here."

"You just woke up from a coma. I suspect you'll be here awhile."

Draco frowned at that. He hated hospitals. He just wanted to go back home. But he watched her walk out of the room and he smiled to himself. She was alright. And she loved him. She'd finally said it. It was like a dream. And he had thought he'd lost her forever. He didn't really remember the accident exactly. He only remembered her running away from him and then seeing the car about to hit her. Then it was all a blank. He knew he ran after her, but he wasn't sure if he made it in time. But apparently he had. It was only him that had been hurt. But he didn't really care about that. He'd do it all over again. He had actually saved her this time. He hadn't cowered in a corner while she was in danger. He did something and now she was alright. His injuries were worth it. If he had died to save her, it would have been worth it. She was all that mattered.

**Feedback is appreciated! I hope you'll continue to read along!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

A few days later, the healers said Draco could go home. His injuries had healed for the most part and his brain was functioning normally. It was almost as if nothing had happened to him, except for the pain he felt in his abdomen where they had done the surgery on him. But the incision had been healed over with a spell. There was no trace of the surgery now except the discomfort he felt on the inside. But otherwise, he felt fine. He just had to be careful not to cough or laugh or do anything too strenuous.

"I think in light of the situation, you are to come home with us," Lucius told him at his bedside. "You need to be properly looked after and I think it's best you were at the Manor where you belong."

"Father, I don't want to go to the Manor. I want to go home," Draco complained.

"The Manor is your home, Draco."

"No it's not. Not anymore. I want to go to my place. Hermione will be there to look after me," he told his father.

"Don't be ridiculous. You belong with your family right now," Lucius scoffed. Then he turned to his wife. "Cissy, talk some sense into him, will you? He's not listening to me."

Narcissa went over and sat down next to Draco and took his hands. "Draco dear, really you should be with us. I want to look after you. You're my son. When you're better, you can go back to London. But right now, I want you with us," she pleaded with him.

"Mother I know you want to look after me, but I really want to be in my own place. I'm fine. And Hermione won't let me overdo it. She's perfectly able to look after me."

His parents both just sighed and looked at each other. Draco was always very stubborn. There was no changing his mind. Hermione walked into the room just then and had overheard the conversation when she was standing outside.

"I'll take good care of him. He'll be in safe hands," she tried to reassure them.

"It's not that we don't trust you, dear, it's just that don't you think he should be with his family right now?" Narcissa asked her. "I mean he almost died."

"I know that. Believe me, I do. Don't you think I was just as worried?" she asked.

"Of course you were. I didn't mean to imply you weren't. It's just…"

"Look, I appreciate you guys wanting to look after me, but I want to be with Hermione right now. So please just respect that. You can always come see me whenever you want," Draco interjected.

Narcissa gave up. "Fine. Go home to your Muggle flat then. I can't seem to stop you. But I will be by everyday to check on you."

"_Every_ day?"

"Yes."

"Can you at least knock this time before you just barge in?" Draco asked her.

Narcissa gave him a look then sighed. "Fine. I'll knock. But you better not be doing anything you'd be afraid for me to walk into. You're in no shape for that! You must rest."

"I promise I'll make him rest. And there won't be any funny business for you to walk into," Hermione promised.

"How long until the funny business is okay again?" Draco asked curiously.

"Honestly Draco, your parents are standing right here. Why must you talk about such things?" Narcissa was aghast.

"Relax mum, I was joking," he said with a sigh. Then he looked at Hermione and pulled her down closer to him so he could whisper in her ear. "Seriously, how long am I out of commission for? I need to know."

Hermione blushed slightly and shook her head. "I have no idea. You'll have to ask the healers."

"Well if you're not coming home with us, then we're leaving. We'll be by to see you later once you've settled in," Lucius announced.

Draco's mother kissed him goodbye and then looked at Hermione. "Take good care of him for me."

"I will. I promise."

"We'll be by later."

And with that, the Malfoy's left the room and Hermione and Draco were alone.

"I thought they'd never go," he complained.

"They're just worried about you. They love you."

"I know. I love them too, but honestly, I'm not a child. I don't need my mummy looking after me anymore. Especially not when I have you," he smiled at her.

"I'll be a good nursemaid. At least I think I will. I don't really know what I'm supposed to do except keep you in bed."

"Well that's never been a problem with us," he smirked at her.

"Stop it. You heard what your mother said. Don't be thinking you're getting any for awhile. Not until you're properly healed. I will not be responsible for damaging you just because you can't keep your hormones in check," she admonished him.

"But I feel fine. Mostly, anyway."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be back up to speed in no time. Just don't rush it. We have the rest of our lives, you know."

He looked at her and smiled. "The rest of our lives? Really? You plan on being with me that long?"

Hermione shrugged. "You'd be hard pressed to get rid of me now. I think you're stuck with me, Malfoy."

"I can live with that," he grinned at her. Then he pulled her over to him and kissed her passionately. "You're stuck with me too. I think I got the better end of the deal."

She laughed slightly and shook her head. "I know a lot of people that would agree with you. But I don't think so. I think it's a fair trade."

When one of the healers walked in to discharge Draco he just had to ask him the burning question, much to Hermione's embarrassment.

"So how long until I can do something active?" he asked the man.

"How active?"

"Fairly active. A bit strenuous."

"I'd give it a week before doing much. What are you planning to do?"

"Well I wanted to have sex," he blurted out and Hermione hid her face.

The healer chuckled a little and shook his head. "I see. Well, let's try a week eh? See how you feel."

"A week? I can live with that," Draco said satisfied.

"I cannot believe you just asked that question," Hermione whispered, mortified.

"It's an honest question. I just want to get back to my regular life. And don't tell me you weren't curious too. I know you."

Hermione had to concede he was right. She _had_ been curious. But it wasn't like it was a big deal. She could live without it. After all, he'd been comatose recently and she didn't think she'd even speak to him again much less do anything else. But leave it to him to ask the million dollar question.

"You're shameless," she said shaking her head.

"Well at least we know now, right? You told me to ask the healer."

"I know."

The healer cleared his throat, reminding them that he was still in the room. "I just have some papers to be signed and then you can leave," he told Draco.

He handed the papers over and Draco signed them. Then he swung his legs around to get up out of the bed and found himself a bit woozy.

"Whoa. It feels like I just drank a bottle of Firewhisky."

"Go slow. There's no need to jump out of the bed," Hermione told him as she held onto his arm.

"No it's alright. I'm fine now. Fetch me my clothes, will you. I look ridiculous in this nightgown thing."

She went to a bag that she had packed for him and pulled out his clothing. She handed it over to him and the healer left the room so he could change. Hermione helped him stand and he was a bit wobbly still.

"Are you okay?" she asked with concern.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just a bit off balance. It'll pass."

He managed to get himself dressed but Hermione had to put his shoes on for him so he didn't topple over. He supposed he wasn't quite as healed as he'd like, but he was still determined to go. He wanted out of this place and back to where it felt safe and comfortable.

When they got outside she asked him, "Can you apparate with me or shall I flag down a taxi?"

"Apparate. I don't fancy sitting in a stinking taxi forever. We're pretty far from home."

She nodded and he held onto her as they disappeared from the hospital and landed in his apartment. He fell back slightly and Hermione caught him before he fell.

"Here, sit down on the sofa. Do you want some water?" she asked him.

"Sure. That sounds good."

"Alright. After you drink that, I think we should put you to bed."

"Will you join me?" he asked with a sly grin.

"Yes, I will. But we will stay fully clothed. And your hands will not wander. Got it, mister?" she said sternly.

"Yes master. I shall be a good boy."

"You better."

Once he drank his water, she helped him off the sofa and walked him down the hallway. They entered the bedroom and he undid his pants and took them off, before sliding under the covers. She took off her shoes and climbed in with him and snuggled up under his arm.

"This feels good," she told him dreamily.

"Yes it does. There was a moment or two I never thought I'd get to hold you again," he said, remembering her hasty break up with him right before the accident.

"I didn't think I'd ever get to hold you again either. I thought I'd lost you," she whispered sadly.

"Shh, don't think of that love. I've got a hard head. It takes more than a speeding car to break it," he smiled at her as he kissed her forehead.

"It was awful, you know. To see you lying there on the ground, so broken and bleeding. I wished I knew healing spells or something, but I'm not very good at that. And I thought it was beyond my help. Your parents were angry I took you to a Muggle hospital. But I didn't know what else to do," she explained to him.

"Well the Muggles must have done something right because I'm still here. I mean, I'd prefer to be at St. Mungo's myself, but how the hell would you have gotten me there anyway? I don't even know where we were that night. And you couldn't very well have picked me up and taken me there by yourself."

"I know. I just second guess myself because maybe if I'd taken you there first, you wouldn't have been in a coma for an entire week?"

"It doesn't matter. Honestly. I'm fine. You did the right thing. And now we're back here together where we belong," he reassured and held her tighter.

"You know, I never told you this because I didn't really have a chance, but Ron came to see me while you were ill," she said softly, unsure of his reaction.

"Ron did? Why? So he could gloat over my unconscious and broken body?"

"No. He was actually very sweet. He apologized for everything. For punching you in the face. He felt really badly that you'd gotten hurt."

Draco laughed dryly. "I'll bet. He _wanted_ me hurt. He didn't feel badly."

She looked up at him. "No, he really did. He was very kind about it. He said he didn't really want you hurt. Not like that. He was just angry before. But he felt remorseful. He comforted me."

Draco's eyes went dark. "Comforted you? How? With cuddles and kisses?"

"Don't be stupid. Of course not. He was simply nice and said he wanted to be my friend again. There was nothing untoward about it. I thought you'd be pleased," she said with slight irritation at his reaction.

Draco sensed her tense up and he could tell she was miffed at him. He sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just, I don't like the thought of him comforting you. But if he's trying to bury the hatchet, then I guess it's okay."

"Do you really think I'm going to go back to Ron just because he was nice to me again? You didn't seem upset when I told you Harry was there comforting me as well."

"Because I know you never shagged Harry."

"Honestly Draco, you're almost as bad as Ron. Just take it for what it was. He was extending an olive branch. It's a bloody miracle not something to be upset about," she told him angrily.

Draco sighed loudly. "Fine. I'm sorry. Don't get all pissy with me. I'm still recuperating. You're supposed to be coddling me and not getting angry with me," he reminded her.

"I don't coddle people. I'm not your mum."

"Hermione stop it. I said I was sorry. It's great that Ron's come around and isn't gonna be a prick anymore. I'm glad of it because it means you'll be happier."

"I will be happier. I am happier. I just want everyone to get along. Is that so much to ask?"

"I've been trying. You know I have."

"I know." She sighed and snuggled down next to him again. "I'm sorry I got pissy. It's just sometimes you're impossible."

"You knew that going in. And yet still here you are, love. Get used to it."

She looked up at him and stuck her tongue out at him. "You're annoying."

"So are you."

"But I love you anyway. God only knows why."

"It's because I'm dashing and handsome and charming and wonderful. Who could resist?" he said with a smirk.

"Just stop talking and kiss me, will you? Otherwise I might change my mind," she told him.

He leaned over and kissed her and he kept kissing her because he didn't want to stop. The healer never said anything about no snogging. She finally pulled back and grinned at him.

"Okay, I see why I love you again," she told him.

"Good. Now let's just lie here and let me get my rest."

She obliged him and just cuddled up next to him and enjoyed the sound of his heart beating in her ear. It meant he was still with her. Alive and well. And really that's all that mattered to her.

The two of them eventually fell asleep like that and were awoken at the sound of someone pounding on the front door. Hermione sleepily looked up and asked Draco, "What is that?"

"It's the door. It's probably my parents," he sighed.

"I'll go get it." She climbed out of the bed and walked groggily to the front door. She opened it and there stood the Malfoy's, just as promised.

"I was beginning to think you weren't in there," Narcissa said with some irritation.

"Sorry, we fell asleep. But do come in," she said as she made a motion for them to step inside.

Lucius had a scowl on his face and he kept looking all around him and wrinkled his nose like something smelled bad.

"This is where Draco lives? Honestly, it's a hovel. The hallway smells like illegal Muggle drugs and there was actually someone begging for money outside on the street," he said with disgust.

"Darling, I told you that this was a nice apartment. Look how spacious it is," Narcissa tried to convince him.

"It's still very small. And the building is not up to standard. Honestly, couldn't you have put him up in someplace more suited to his tastes?"

"These _were_ his tastes. He said he liked this place. He picked it out, not me."

"Well it's dreadful. And I better not find out that Draco is smoking Muggle drugs like his neighbors apparently do," he said with extreme irritation.

"Draco doesn't do drugs, Mr. Malfoy. And how would you know what marijuana smelled like anyway?" Hermione asked him curiously.

He looked at her coldly for a moment then he sighed. "In my youth the drug was quite popular, even amongst wizards and witches. Contrary to what you believe, I was exposed to _some_ Muggle culture in my life. Doesn't mean I approve of it," he explained to her haughtily.

Narcissa interrupted their conversation. "Where is Draco? Is he still asleep?"

"Uh, no, he's awake. He's in the bedroom. I'll show you to him," Hermione said leading them down the short hallway.

They found Draco sitting up in bed waiting for them. His mother rushed over and hugged him.

"Are you faring alright, dear?"

"Yes Mum, I'm fine. I just had a bit of a nap."

"Did you eat?"

Draco shook his head. "No, we just kind of went to bed."

"Well you must eat. Do you have food here?" she asked.

"I have some crisps and some biscuits and cereal," he told his mother.

Narcissa frowned. "That's not food. You need a proper meal. See, this is why you should have come home with us."

"I'll order a pizza."

"Pizza? I don't think so. No, I'll go home and have Tippy make you something proper to eat. And then I'll bring it back," she told him.

"You don't have to do that."

"Of course I do. I won't be gone long." And with that, she disapparated and left Draco, Lucius and Hermione alone in the room.

"I'll go to the grocery later and buy real food," Hermione told them both, trying to prove she could look after Draco properly.

Lucius nodded and then he asked, "Do you have something to drink here?"

"I have milk and soda pop and orange juice."

"Nothing a little stronger?"

"He has whiskey," Hermione piped up.

"Ah yes, much more what I was thinking. Go fetch it dear. I want a moment alone with my son."

"Father, ask her nicely. Don't order her around like she's a house elf," Draco said admonishing his father.

Lucius sighed and looked at Hermione. "Will you please go get me a glass? I'd really appreciate it," he told her with a forced smile on his face. Then he looked at Draco. "Was that better?"

"Much better."

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Hermione said, leaving the uncomfortable room. Lucius still made her nervous. She could handle Draco's mother, but his dad was just plain intimidating. She couldn't imagine growing up with a father like that.

Once Hermione left, Lucius sat down on the bed next to Draco. He patted his leg. "So are you really well, or are you just pretending for your mother's sake?"

"No, I'm fine. Really. I know I gave everyone a bit of a scare, but it's alright now."

"Yes you did give us a scare. What were you thinking running in front of a speeding car?" Lucius asked incredulously.

"It was going to hit Hermione. I had to save her. I told you that before," Draco said to him.

"Yes, but still. You could have died. Don't ever be so foolish again."

"I hope I won't have to be. But it's not like I regret it. I did what I had to do. You'd do it too if it were Mum about to be killed," Draco pointed out.

Lucius was not known for his heroics or attempting to sacrifice his life for others. But Draco had a point. He would do anything for his wife and son.

"I suppose you're right," Lucius conceded.

"You should be proud of me," Draco said quietly.

"I am."

"Are you really?"

Lucius looked at him seriously. "Yes. Of course I am. You were very brave to save the Granger girl."

"She's not 'the Granger girl' her name is Hermione."

"Yes. Hermione. And you think you love this girl?" Lucius asked cautiously.

"I know I do. And she loves me," Draco told him boldly.

"Oh Draco, what am I going to do with you?" Lucius asked. "She's not a pureblood. What if you marry her? I don't even know what to think about that possibility. I mean, it's fine if you'd like to sow your wild oats a bit. I could understand if that's what she was to you. Because then you'd get it out of your system and then marry a proper girl like Astoria."

"Father, I'm not marrying Astoria. Ever. So please do get over that. And so what if I marry Hermione someday? Our children will be half bloods. Big deal. Besides, who are you trying to impress anymore anyway? Most of your pureblood friends are in prison. And the one's who aren't, don't much give a damn about us anymore. So what difference does it make?"

Lucius just stared at him for a moment and said nothing. He was trying to take in the weight of his words and the truth behind them. The truth he didn't want to see. He finally sighed and shook his head.

"Your mother told me that it was going to come to this. That you no longer believed in the things we taught you. She said it was time for me to change my ways. That perhaps I was too old fashioned. But you must understand, I brought you up to believe the things I was brought up to believe. I don't know how to change that now," he explained to his son.

"Father, you _are_ old fashioned. And yes, I grew up believing what you taught me, but so much has changed. And not just because I love Hermione, but before that. There was a bloody war over something as ridiculous as blood status and wanting to rid the world of Muggles. And for what? So some psychotic _half blood, _could rule the world? It's all rubbish. The whole war was for nothing. We all almost died for nothing," Draco said seriously.

"Yes, well, I don't know what to say to that, Draco," Lucius admitted, at a loss for words. "I would like to tell you that you're wrong and that it was the correct thing for us to align ourselves with…_him_. Yet I'm afraid I no longer believe he was someone to admire. I used to. I really did. But I know now that it was foolish of me. I put my entire family in harm's way for a cause that I thought was right. But I was mistaken. And you know I never admit to making a mistake, so you must understand how difficult this is for me to tell you."

Draco did know how hard it was for him. In fact, he never dreamed his father would ever really admit how wrong he was. He was a bit speechless.

"Father, we all made mistakes. I only wanted you to be proud of me. I only wanted to help save us all. But you must understand that he is gone now. He's not coming back. We have no need to live in fear anymore. And that also means that these old traditions have no place in our lives either. It's time to change," Draco told him passionately.

"But what if you met Astoria and fell in love with her instead? Then things wouldn't have to change," Lucius pleaded.

"I don't want to fall in love with her. I'm already in love. Things will change whether you want them to or not. And you can disown me or whatever you wish, but my mind is made up," Draco said insistently.

Lucius studied his son's face and saw the seriousness in it. He was not a little boy any more. He was not the same Draco he was before. He had grown up and had a mind of his own now. A mind that didn't match what he'd always known and adhered to. But what could Lucius really do? He didn't want to lose his son. And maybe he was right? It was time to change things. Lucius just didn't know if he could change or not. But he would try.

"Very well Draco. I'm not going to disown you. Your mother would never hear of it anyway. I will accept your decisions. But you must promise me one thing," he said seriously.

"What is that?"

"That you will come back to our world and get a proper job. Work for me, perhaps? I don't care. But you cannot stay in this Muggle place forever. You are a wizard. Never forget that. Never forget where you really belong," Lucius said sternly.

Draco thought about his father's words. He knew he was right. He couldn't stay in London forever. He didn't really want to. He had just needed the time to find himself and to distance himself from his old life.

"Alright. I will come back. Eventually. But not just yet, okay? I need more time. But I promise you I will come back," he told his father.

Just then Hermione knocked on the open door and asked, "Is it okay if I come back in? I waited a bit, but I have your drink Mr. Malfoy," she said softly, holding out a glass.

Lucius motioned her inside. "It's fine. We're done talking," he told her. She walked over and handed him the glass. "Thank you…Hermione."

Shocked that he said her first name, she looked at him a bit funny. "You're welcome, Mr. Malfoy."

"Please. Call me Lucius," he smiled at her and it wasn't forced like usual.

"O-okay. Lucius." Hermione felt very weird calling him by his first name. It seemed all wrong somehow. But if he asked her to do it, she wasn't going to refuse.

The room was quiet for a moment, until Narcissa appeared again. She was carrying a basket of food with her. "Sorry it took so long. But I tried to be fast. I'm afraid they're just sandwiches because Tippy didn't have time to make anything more elaborate."

"Sandwiches are good. Thanks Mum," Draco told her.

"I brought enough for both of you. I figured we'd just leave you alone to eat them in peace. And do keep resting, Draco. You need to build up your strength again," she told him. Then she looked at Hermione. "Do you have the potions he's supposed to be taking? Have you given him any yet?"

"No, not yet. One of them is for pain and he seemed alright."

"I'll take the potions. Don't worry. I want to get better fast. So I won't do anything stupid," Draco assured his mother.

"Alright then. We'll leave you two alone. Right Lucius?"

Lucius stood up and nodded. "Yes, I do believe Draco is in good hands. Shall we go?"

The two of them said their goodbyes and disapparated from the room, promising to be back the next day to check up on them. Hermione let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding, and threw herself down on the bed.

"I always feel so awkward and ridiculous when I see them. And your father? He asked me to call him Lucius? Is he ill too?" she wondered to Draco.

Draco laughed slightly. "No he's not ill. He's just realized that I'm keeping you around and there's nothing he can do about it. Except try and be nice. So I suspect that's why he did it."

"Well it's odd. But I suppose I could call him that if he wants me to."

"I think my father has finally accepted that I chose you to be with. It wasn't easy for him. I think he thought you were just a passing fancy I had that I'd get over. But I told him it wasn't like that," Draco told her.

"I'm not a passing fancy then?" she wondered curiously.

He took her hands and held them. "Of course not. I love you. And I will continue to do so forever."

"Forever?"

"Yes, forever."

She smiled at him and didn't know quite what to say. For the first time in her life the word 'forever' didn't scare her. It used to scare her with Ron. She wasn't sure she could see forever with him like she was supposed to. But with Draco, it was different. She couldn't imagine forever without him. She didn't know what she was thinking when she told him she didn't want to see him anymore. It was so stupid and not at all what she really felt. But she just thought it'd be easier that way. But it didn't matter anymore what anyone else thought. She knew who she wanted to be with.

"I love you, Draco," she whispered to him as she leaned over and kissed him.

"I love you too. For always," he answered back, holding her close. "Never forget that."

The next day, Draco's window was practically bombarded with owls. Word had gotten out that he'd almost died, and for some reason people were coming out of the woodwork to wish him well. He was surprised to say the least.

"I didn't even know any of these people thought of me at all anymore," he remarked to Hermione, as he sorted through the cards of well wishes he received. "This one is from Pansy."

"Pansy? What the hell did she say?" Hermione asked, feeling her jealousy creep up.

"Nothing. Nothing except she hoped I was healing and getting better. It's very odd. Last time I spoke to her, she told me to sod off."

She sorted through the other cards and handed him one over. "This is from Ron," she told him.

"Ron? Is it going to explode when I open it?" he asked.

"I hope not."

He looked at it cautiously and then ripped the envelope open. He was pleased that it didn't explode or begin screaming at him like a howler. He opened it up and read it.

"Get well soon, motherfucker," Draco read aloud. "How touching," he remarked dryly. Then he read on. "Thanks for saving Hermione's life. I owe you one. But just so you know, I still hate you. Yours truly, Ronald Weasley."

"It's a start, right? He wished you well," Hermione offered.

"Yeah, it's a start," he said throwing the card aside and reaching for another.

"That one is from Harry," she told him.

"Potter? He sent me a card?"

She nodded and he opened it up just as cautiously as he opened Ron's card. It didn't explode. He read it to her. "I hope you feel better soon. I'm sorry you were hurt. Take good care of Hermione or else I will sick my girlfriend on you. And I don't think you'd like that. Sincerely, Harry."

"Ginny is still unforgiving, I see," Hermione sighed.

"She's a bitch. I don't care if she likes me," Draco said, tossing the card aside.

"She's really quite great. If you get to know her. But I suppose she's still bitter."

"I don't care. This is just weird, Hermione. Harry and Ron both sent me well wishes? What the hell? Is this some sort of dream I'm having?" he asked her curiously.

"I think they both realized what you meant to me while you were in the hospital. They're trying to be good friends. I don't expect you lot to hang out and be buddies, but they're trying. For my sake, I suppose. It's rather touching," she admitted, feeling grateful for her friends.

"I guess. I mean, I assumed Potter and Weasel wished I'd died. These cards are almost too much. It's like waking up in a bizarro world."

"This one is from Goyle," Hermione said, handing the card over.

"Goyle? That fucktard? I thought he was in Azkaban or something," Draco said, taking the card.

"I guess not. I suppose since he was young, they spared him. Have you not kept in touch?" she wondered.

"No, I've not kept in touch. I told you before, they weren't my friends. They were my lackey's. And mentally challenged one's at that." Draco didn't even open the card. He just tossed it aside and left it unopened. He wanted to distance himself from his former life.

"I think that's all of them. But it's quite impressive. See, people do care about you," Hermione told him with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess. But I don't know. Some of these people, I never wanted to hear from again. Like Pansy and Goyle," he told her with a scowl.

"Maybe they cared for you, more than you cared for them?"

"I don't know. But I still don't want their sympathy. And Ron and Harry? Give me a break. They'd both love to see me dead," he lamented.

"That's not true. If it were, they wouldn't send cards."

"I suspect they did that for your benefit, not mine," he informed her. "I don't think they actually care. Especially Ron."

Hermione didn't know what to say to that. He was probably right. Ron definitely still hated Draco, but the fact he took time to send a card still meant something to her. Even if it didn't mean anything to Draco.

"How are you feeling anyway," she asked him curiously. It had been two days now since he'd been home.

"I'm fine. It doesn't even hurt anymore. People are making a fuss," he said somewhat uncomfortably.

"Well to some of us, it was very scary to think you'd never wake up," she said quietly.

He looked at her and touched her face. "I'm sorry. I know it was rough on you. But I did the only thing I could do. If I had died, it would have been okay."

She made a face at him. "No it would not have. I would not have you die for me," she said sternly.

"As if you could stop me. I never saved you before when you needed saving. This was my chance. And I took it. And I never thought twice about it. So don't tell me I shouldn't have done it," he shot back at her.

She looked at him and her eyes softened. "You did save me. And for that, I'm grateful. But you didn't have to prove anything to me."

"I know that. I think I was proving it to myself. I don't know. I mean, I never did a fucking thing in my life that didn't benefit me somehow. And even this, it still was for me. I couldn't live without you. I'm not a hero. I'm not anything really. I just did what anyone would do," he said slightly bitter.

"Maybe it benefitted you to save me, but you still put your life at risk for mine. It means something. Stop diminishing it. It meant something. And I'm not the only one who thinks so," she said clearly.

He just looked at her and sighed. "I love you. And if I'd died saving you, it would have been worth it. But I didn't die. I'm fine. So really, it's just a bit of rubbish to make me out like some sort of hero. I mean, why the hell is Harry fucking Potter sending me a get well card? It's crazy. I don't deserve thanks. I did what anyone would do. If they loved someone, enough. It wasn't special," he protested.

She took his hands and held them tightly. "Please stop doing this. It was still important and heroic. Even if you only did it to save yourself from missing me. It doesn't matter. You loved me enough to risk your life. That matters! Don't you see? It fucking matters. So let people wish you well," she said with some irritation in her voice.

"You're mad at me?"

"No, I'm not."

"But you said the word 'fucking' and I know you only break out the good vocabulary when you're really pissed or you're getting shagged. So I'm assuming I pissed you off," he remarked with a slight grin.

"Oh god. Honestly. I can say whatever I want to say. It doesn't have to mean something. But yes, I think you're not giving yourself enough credit. Just take it already! You did something good. End of story."

"Alright. I get it. I did something good. But how could I not? What was I supposed to do? Let the car hit you? That's ridiculous."

"I owe you my life, Draco."

"No, you don't owe me anything. I did what I did because I love you. And because I should have done something before when you were in trouble, and I just sat there. I wasn't going to just sit there and fucking do nothing this time. I would have done it for you or anyone. It's not just because I love you, okay? I did it because I had to. Anyone else would have done the same," he told her, refusing to accept credit for his actions.

"So if it were Ron in the street, you would have saved him too?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

He sighed loudly. "Oh fuck. I don't know. Yes. I guess the answer is yes. I would have saved him. I wasn't thinking about my stupid life, but yours. Or whoever might be the one in danger. I just reacted. And yes, I would have saved the Weasel or Potter if it were them, because they saved my fucking life that one time in the Room of Requirement. I could have burned up. They should have let me die. But Harry saved me. Okay? I owe him something. And I would have fucking saved his ass too if it needed saving. Happy now? Am I some noble hero now? I certainly don't feel like one."

She just looked at him and said nothing for a moment. Then she leaned over and kissed him softly. "You are not a bad person, Draco. You're human. I know you hate Harry and Ron, but you wouldn't let them die. It's not in you. Just like killing Dumbledore was not in you. Stop trying to fight the fact that you're actually capable of being a good human being," she told him seriously.

He just looked at her and sighed. He didn't know what to say. He wanted to protest that he was somehow a good person, but he didn't know why exactly. Except it just didn't seem like him to be otherwise. He was Draco Malfoy. Selfish and rude and horrible. He would never risk his ass to save someone else. But the truth was, he would. Maybe not before, but now, he would. He'd changed. Everything had changed. He would never put himself in league with Potter, sacrificing himself to save the world. But he was leagues above the broken boy who simply ran off and fled the chaos and aftermath of the war with his family.

"What does this make me then?" he asked her. "Why would I save anyone but you?" He was confused.

"Because you're better than you think you are. So stop acting like everyone is crazy to wish you well. Just let them wish you well. You deserve it," she assured him.

He just leaned over and put his arms around Hermione and held her close. "I don't deserve you," he whispered in her ear.

"Yes, you do," she whispered back. And for the first time ever, she really knew that Draco had changed. He was different. Not like before. She believed it before, but she thought her lust was clouding her judgment. But this was real. He was not the same boy he used to be. He was a man. An honorable man. A man trying to find his way in the world. And she would never desert him. She believed in him, even when he didn't believe in himself. And she just hoped her love would be enough to actually get him to believe the changes were real.

The next few weeks passed and Draco had healed up perfectly. No trace whatsoever of the surgery or the head injury. He was back to his normal self. And he missed Hermione's ever constant presence. Now that he wasn't ill she had gone back to work and her own apartment. And even though they still saw each other all the time, he missed having her live with him. When they were laying in her bed he decided to talk to her about that.

"So, I was thinking. It doesn't really make sense for us to live apart, does it?" he wondered.

She looked at him. "What do you mean? You want to live together?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean. I liked it when you were staying at my place. I could wake up everyday and see you there. Plus watching you try to fix up my place and make it more homey was rather adorable," he admitted.

"Well I just thought you needed some personal touches there. Like photos of your family and what not," she told him with a shrug. She had personally asked his parents to bring some photos to put around the house and they'd been more than happy to hand them over.

"I appreciate what you did. But wouldn't it be fun to have a place of our own? Together," he persisted.

She thought about it for a moment. Ron used to ask her this all the time and she'd panic and say no. But for some reason she wasn't feeling panic when Draco asked her. She smiled at him. "We could do that I suppose. Do you want to live here with me or should I move in with you?" she wondered.

"Neither. I say we leave this place and find a house. You know something proper and more spacious. A place we could really make a home," he suggested.

"Where would we go?"

He took a breath and let it out. "I was thinking it was time to go back to the magical community. I was thinking someplace like Puddlemore or even Wiltshire, near my parents."

Now Hermione was slightly panicking. She didn't think Draco ever wanted to go back. And now he was saying he wanted to go back now. With her at his side. To build a life together. She wasn't sure what to think. "I-I don't know. It would mean quitting my job here…"

"Yes exactly. You don't belong in a bookshop. You belong somewhere else like the Ministry. That's where you figured you'd end up anyway. Maybe now it's time to go back?"

"What makes you think it's time? I thought you were quite content living here in London as we have been. I didn't think you wanted to go back," she told him seriously.

"I didn't want to go back. At least not at first. But I just think it's time for me to stop hiding. Apparently with all the owls I received wishing me well people have calmed down considerably when it comes to me. They no longer treat me like a leper. And I really can't just loaf about for the rest of my life. I want to get a real job. Right now you and I are just hiding out. That's not really living. And after almost dying, I realized that maybe I need to just buck up and get over what people think and prove to them I'm actually worthwhile," he explained.

She thought about his words. They did make sense. And she knew she couldn't hide away forever either. She was wasting her magical talent and her opportunity to do something good in the world. Maybe it was time to stop hiding?

"Alright Draco. If you're really sure you want to go back," she said touching his face.

"I'm sure. But I was wondering, do you think that Potter would help me get a job?" he asked with a pained expression on his face. He didn't want ask Harry for a favor, but he did owe him one. He said so himself.

"I don't know. I mean, there's certain schooling that you never got. You didn't take your N.E.W.T.S."

"Neither did you or Potter. And yet the Ministry doesn't seem to care about that."

"I'll ask him. I'm sure if he can help, he will. Are you sure that's where you want to work? Wouldn't you maybe rather work for your father?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "No, I don't want to do that. He doesn't really have a job exactly anyway. He just oversees a lot of boards and investments and what not. I want to do something better and more fulfilling. I want to do something that could be considered good."

"Okay. Well I'll talk to Harry," she told him. "This is a huge step, Draco. Moving away from here and getting a proper job. Are you sure you're ready for all that?"

He nodded. "Are you sure? Because if you're not, we don't have to do it."

She thought for a moment but then she nodded her head. "I think I am ready. It's time."

And with that, they both decided to stop running from their pasts and actually start a future. Together. The world be damned. Neither one of them cared what anyone else thought of them anymore. And it seemed the whole world already knew they were together. And while some people were more accepting than others, they had survived the fallout and the shock that occurred. Now it was time to get back in the public spotlight and do it together. Their self imposed exile needed to end.

**Feedback is appreciated! I hope you'll continue to read along and let me know what you think! Thanks to all who are following and favoriting this story!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

Hermione had a letter that was given to her by the Ministry stating that whenever she was ready for a job, to contact them. She held it in her hands and realized the magnitude of what she was about to do. She was going to accept their offer of a job. It was a huge decision but she felt ready to make it. She composed a letter of her own and headed off to the owl post office in Diagon Alley to have it delivered. She was walking through the street and she had to admit it felt nice to be back in a magical place. After her break up with Ron, she hadn't been back to Diagon Alley. She saw the joke shop and she smiled. It seemed busy as ever. But she wasn't going to stop in. She didn't want to upset the tentative peace that had been achieved between her and Ron. But as she was walking and looking at the building she ran right into someone and dropped her bag all over the ground.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention," she muttered as she picked up her items and shoved them back in her purse.

"Hermione?"

She looked up at the familiar voice. "Ron?"

"What are you doing in Diagon Alley?" he asked her curiously.

"I was just sending a letter. Are you on a break?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I was just coming back from lunch."

"Oh well that's good. I guess I should get going."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "No wait. I want to talk to you."

"About what?"

"About us."

"Ron, there is no 'us' anymore," she reminded him.

"No, I know that. That's not what I meant. I just meant us as in us being friendly to each other. I know it's kind of weird. But I really do wish you the best. And I want you to know that I talked to Ginny at length and told her to just back off you. I didn't need her defending my honor or whatever it was she was doing. I tried to make it right."

"Well thank you. I hope Ginny really does come around. I've missed her."

"She's missed you too. She doesn't have another girl to gossip to anymore. And God knows I don't want to listen to half the things she says because they're disturbing and about Harry. A brother can only take so much," he grimaced.

Hermione laughed. "She's been telling you things about Harry?"

"She did. Once. I stopped her. I didn't want to know."

"I'm not sure I do either," she chuckled.

"Well I just wanted you to know that. That I talked to her. And that I do wish you well. And I miss you. And I promise I'll stop trying to beat up your new boyfriend. Even if I really want to," he said through slightly clenched teeth.

"I appreciate that. You know, you should find another girl. There are loads out there. You deserve someone special too," she told him kindly.

He shrugged. "I dunno. You know how I am with girls. It took me years to even admit I liked you much less kiss you. And even then I had to wait until we were almost dying to do it. I was a big chicken."

"Well you seemed plenty confident back in school when you and Lavender Brown were going out. You weren't shy there."

"That was just stupid. She fawned over me and I got a big head about it. I never loved her or anything. But girls aren't exactly fawning over me now."

"Well they should be. You're a great catch. It'll happen. I promise you that much," she reassured him.

"Yeah, we'll see. It's not important. I better get back to work and you should be on your way with your letter. Who are you owling anyway?" he asked curiously.

She sighed. "I'm owling the Ministry. They offered me a job before I left. And I decided that I'd like to take them up on that offer," she explained.

His face lit up. "You mean you're coming back here? To the magical world?"

She nodded. "Draco and I are both coming back."

His face fell slightly at the mention of Draco's name. "Right. Draco. So are you two gonna live somewhere together?"

"Yes. We have a few places in mind. He wants a job at the Ministry too. I'm supposed to talk to Harry about it."

"He wants a job at the Ministry? Why? I don't think they'll let him in."

"You never know. He's very smart and talented. They could use him," she defended Draco.

"I just can't see him doing a job like that. I imagined him working and Bourgin and Burkes or something."

"Don't be silly. He's done with that life. I've told you a million times."

"I know, I know. I'm just trying to wrap my head around it."

"Well we'll see what happens. Either way, we've decided to come back. I hope the response will be welcoming."

"It will be for you. I don't know about Draco though."

"Yes, well I really should be going." She chose to ignore his comment.

He reached over and pulled her into an awkward hug. "I'm glad you're coming back," he told her, then he let her go.

"Me too. I'll see you around alright?"

"Alright. Good luck."

They parted ways and Hermione headed off to the owlry where she could send her letter. Then she headed back home. She wanted to talk to Harry but she didn't want to bother him at work. So she figured she'd just wait until he was at home. Back at her place, she decided to start packing up some of her personal items and putting them into boxes. It was true they didn't have a house yet, but they were going to go looking very soon. She figured she might as well be prepared for the move. When early evening arrived, she decided to head to Harry's. She showed up in front of the house and hoped that if Ginny answered she'd be more welcoming and mellow since Ron had talked to her. She waited for the door to open and was indeed Ginny who answered.

"Hermione!" she exclaimed. "What a good surprise."

"I didn't think you'd be this happy to see me," Hermione admitted, taken aback slightly.

Ginny waved her hand in the air. "I got over it. Ron told me he was fine and I needed to stop being a bitch to you. I was only mad on his behalf. You tore him up really good. I was horrified for him. But he told me it was time to get past it. And I'm relieved because I really did miss you." She came over and hugged Hermione.

"I missed you too, Ginny. We were like sisters."

"I know, I know. Forgive me? I just felt so angry that you weren't going to be a part of my family officially. I thought you and Ron were amazing together."

"We will always be great friends and you know I love him. We just weren't romantically suited," Hermione explained.

"Yeah, I understand. I'm sorry I was so impossible before. And the night of the party? I was dreadful. I'm embarrassed. I was a bit drunk and words just flew out of my big mouth," Ginny apologized.

"It's okay. I'm just glad you don't hate me anymore."

"Of course not. I am disappointed. I won't lie. I wanted you to be a Weasley," Ginny said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We can't always have what we want I guess. But please, come in. Harry's in the living room. I assume you're here to see him?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, I have something I'd like to discuss with him, if that's alright."

"Sure, sure. Come in."

She ushered Hermione into the house and led her to where Harry was. Hermione was quite pleased at Ginny's stark turnaround. She was grateful that Ron finally got her to lay off and relax. When Harry saw her walk in he put down his paper and smiled at her.

"Hey. What's up?" he asked her.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

She looked at Ginny and pleaded for privacy with her eyes. Ginny took the hint. "I'll be in the kitchen working on dinner." She left the room and Hermione sat down on the sofa next to Harry.

"I wanted to tell you that I've decided to come back to the magical world. No more Muggle London. I've owled the Ministry and accepted their job offer they extended me. And Draco and I are going to look at houses in Puddlemore or Wiltshire."

"Wow, really? I'm so happy. The Ministry has been bugging me for ages to get you on board. They're really excited about you and your abilities. This is great news!" Harry exclaimed, giving her a hug.

Hermione smiled at him. "I'm glad you think so. It just seemed the right time to come back to it all. Begin living instead of being on a permanent holiday from reality."

"I understood why you did it though. You just needed some time. For me, I just wanted to jump right into work and keep fighting the fight. I didn't know how not to do that, since I'd been doing it forever. But sometimes even I wanted to run away. It was difficult. Catching Death Eaters and bringing them back. They all hated me and wished I were dead. I screwed up their plans pretty good. But I know I'm doing the right thing. The only thing I could do."

"I'm really proud of you, Harry. You eased into the job much better than I could have at the end of the war. I was a mess. More than anyone realized I think. But I feel stronger now. Better. And I'm ready to dive right in and get to work."

"Good. You'll do wonderfully."

"Thank you." She smiled at him and then she sighed a little.

"What is it? Is there something more you want to tell me?" he asked her.

"Yes. Sort of. It's actually a favor I'd like to ask. After Draco's accident, you said you owed him one. Remember?"

He nodded. "I remember."

"Well he wants a job at the Ministry too. And he wanted me to ask you to help him get it."

Harry just stared at her for a second. "You want me to get Draco a job? Are you crazy?"

"No, you could do it. You have a lot of weight around there. Draco would be an asset. He's very gifted and smart and he's eager to work. Plus you said you owed him one."

Harry ran his hands through his hair absently. "I thought owing him one meant I'd buy him a beer or something. I didn't think he want me to get him a job."

"Well he wants to do something good. Something that no Malfoy has ever actually done. He wants to show the world that he's changed."

"Does he even need a job? I thought his family were gazillionaires. Why would he want to work for the Ministry?"

"Because. I told you. He wants to do something good. He doesn't just want to live off his family forever. And they would like for him to have this job as well. His father said so," she explained.

"Lucius Malfoy wants his son working at the Ministry? Why? So they can look better in the eyes of the world?"

"Probably. I don't know. But will you help him? I know he didn't complete school, but neither did we and the Ministry overlooked that."

Harry sighed and leaned back into the couch. "What does he want to do exactly?"

"Anything. He doesn't care. Well as long as it's a real job and not a janitor or something."

"Damn. I could have gotten him a janitorial job easy," Harry smiled weakly.

"Be serious. You know he wouldn't do that work. He wants something respectable."

"Alright. I'll see what I can do. But I can't promise you anything. I do have some weight, but I'm not in charge or anything. Who says they'll even listen to me at all?"

"You're the Chosen One. The one who defeated the Dark Lord and saved us all. They'll listen to you if you tell them Draco is an asset."

"But what if I don't believe he is?" Harry said with some exasperation.

"He is! He knows a lot. You couldn't ask for a better worker. And his grades reflect his talents. That should mean something."

"I'm only doing this for you, Hermione. I still dislike you being with him. It's just weird. But I'm trying to get over it. I just never dreamed I'd have to work with the stupid sod."

"I'll be forever in your debt if you help him," Hermione smiled.

"Yeah, yeah. Okay. You're lucky I love you. And Draco is lucky I love you or else I'd never dream of doing this."

She reached over and hugged him. "Thank you. He won't disappoint you. You'll see. It'll all be great."

"Yeah, great," Harry said unconvinced. But he'd do it for Hermione. She loved this guy and nothing was going to change that. Harry knew he'd just have to get over his own prejudices and allow Draco into his life. What else could he do? But he'd never trust him as far as he could throw him. He'd keep an eye on him. One toe out of line or any hint that Draco was up to his old tricks, and Harry would have him banned from the Ministry forever, no matter what Hermione thought.

Draco and Hermione were out house hunting this weekend. They hired a witch real estate agent to show them the available properties. They were just entering the grounds of a nice little cottage not too far from where Draco's parent's lived.

"This place is quite lovely for a young couple. It's a bit small, but we prefer to call it cozy. And there are no Muggles anywhere around. It's quite ideal," the agent told them.

Draco stared at the outside and frowned a little. "It's tiny. Where would we put children? On the roof?" he asked.

Hermione looked at him curiously. "Children? Who said anything about children?" She was taken aback.

"I don't mean right now. But someday. If I'm to buy a house I want to live there for a long while. I have to think ahead," he explained.

"How many children do you want?" she wondered.

"I don't know. Two? Perhaps a boy and a girl?"

"Well there's no need to discount this place just because it won't accommodate children. That's a long way off," she said nervously.

Draco shook his head. "No, I want to see something bigger. Something better. Do take us to the next place," he told the agent.

"Certainly. I think you'll like the next one."

They disapparated and landed in front of another property. It was much larger and had a second story. Draco smiled. "This is better. It's not outrageous but it's big. Let's look inside."

They went inside and the agent rattled off all the amenities including a nicely working Floo network. There were no Muggles around these parts either, so they could live freely without worry.

"What do you think of the place?" Draco asked Hermione curiously.

"It's big for just the two of us. But I like it. It has a lovely garden out back."

He nodded. He could really see himself living there with her forever. There was plenty of room to grow in, but it was nothing like the vastness of the Manor in which he grew up. He wanted his children to grow up in a more normal environment. He didn't want to raise snobs like he had been.

"I think we'll take it. How soon can we move in?" he asked the agent.

"Well there is a process to go through. And any loans you may need to get have to be approved," she explained.

"We won't be using loans. I have cash."

"Cash?"

"Yes, cash. I assume you take that as form of payment?"

"Of course. I'm just not used to someone doing that. But we can get the papers started right away."

Hermione was a little nervous. This was a huge step. Buying a house was something she never saw herself doing for a long while. But Draco had been insistent that he didn't want to live in an apartment anymore. They should have a proper home together. But it was all a little much seeing as how they weren't married and didn't plan to be any time soon. But she wasn't going to argue. It was a wonderful house. She should just sit back and enjoy it.

Hermione ended up accepting a job in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and was to start right away. It was the same division where Harry worked, so she was pleased she'd see him often. And Harry had managed to get Draco an interview. It apparently was not an easy task, but Harry backed Draco up and said he did believe he had in fact changed and that his loyalties were not in question. Draco sat now in an office waiting for his interviewer to arrive. He was nervous. He rarely got nervous, but he had a lot riding on this opportunity. He knew that his name was still tainted but he wanted the chance to show everyone that just because the Malfoy's had always been associated with snobbery and evil doings, they were different now. He just hoped he could pull it off and be impressive enough to get this job.

A man walked in and shut the door behind him. He sat at the desk and smiled at Draco.

"So, Mr. Malfoy, I'm told you are looking for employment," he said pleasantly.

"Yes, that's right."

"I must admit when your name came across my desk I was a bit surprised. Surely you must know that your family is rather notorious in this community. And not for their acts of loyalty to the Ministry. In fact, I do believe your father broke quite a few rules in his day and was thrown off the board of Governors."

"Yes, I am aware of my father's misdeeds in the past. But as you can see, I am not my father."

"No you aren't. And I was quite surprised when Mr. Potter actually personally vouched for you. I rather thought the two of you were on opposite sides of the war, as I recall."

"You recall correctly. But we actually have become friendly since then," Draco stretched the truth a bit. "He has seen the changes in me and he believes that I could do some good in this administration."

"Yes. Well, what is it you have done since the war?"

"I haven't done anything actually. I was trying to regroup a bit. But I'm ready to start over. And if you'd just give me a chance, I could show you what I could do."

"Are you not then a Death Eater?" the man asked scrutinizing Draco and glancing down at his covered arm.

"I was recruited, yes. But I never supported him willingly. I was forced."

"The Imperius curse? I do remember your father telling a similar tale once."

"I'm not saying I was cursed. I was threatened. I was told that if I didn't join I would be killed, along with my entire family. It was not something I did willingly. And I never killed anyone," Draco explained and defended himself.

"Well I should hope not. You do realize that it's required to have finished your education to work here? I don't believe you did that."

"No, I didn't. But neither did Harry and you gave him quite an important job."

"Yes, well, that was different. He showed amazing promise and skill. I don't really have any evidence of your skills."

"I can do anything you need me to do. I don't really care what it is. Just give me the chance to show you that I've changed. My girlfriend works here now too. Hermione Granger. I take it you know her quite well," Draco told him.

"Yes, yes, Miss Granger. She was very sought after and finally agreed to join us. It's a bit surprising the two of you are romantically involved, I must say."

"She knows I've changed. But if you don't give me this chance, how will I ever prove it to anyone else?"

The man studied Draco's face intently, looking for signs of deceit or trickery. But he saw nothing but an earnest face.

"Very well. How about we put you in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes? You will work in the Obliviator Headquarters. I trust you know your obliviation spells?"

"I do," Draco nodded.

"Alright then. You can start immediately. But do realize you will be highly scrutinized. If it is suspected you are some sort of spy or up to no good, you will face the consequences. And they won't be pleasant. You might ask your father how he enjoyed Azkaban before you think of doing something wrong here."

"Message received. I promise you I'm not a spy or up to no good. You'll see," Draco said insistently. He stood up and offered the man his hand. He shook it. "Thank you for the opportunity. I won't let you down."

"Let's hope not."

Draco left the office and felt very pleased by the whole affair. It was obvious the man did not like him, but he still gave him a chance. That's all that really mattered. Now he could set out to prove his worth. He went to find Hermione and tell her the good news. He found her office and knocked on the door. She told him to come in and she looked rather frazzled and had a mountain of paperwork in front of her.

"Is this a bad time?" he asked her.

She looked up at him and smiled. "No, it's fine. I'm just buried in paperwork. It's only my third day and already I'm completely slammed. But enough about me, what about you? How did the interview go?"

He grinned at her. "I got the job. The Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes."

She jumped up and hugged him tightly. "Oh I'm so glad! This is wonderful. I'm so pleased they gave you a chance," she told him sincerely.

"Me too. The guy seemed to hate me a little and doesn't trust me at all. But Harry must have really said good things about me. Which is surprising and weird. But I know he only did it because you asked him to."

"Well, yeah. But I didn't tell him what to say. Whatever he said came from his own lips. I think he really does believe you've changed. He wouldn't put his own reputation on the line if he didn't actually believe in you. He could have just told me no when I asked him for help."

"Should I thank him? Should I talk to him? Or do I just leave it alone?" he asked her curiously not knowing what to do.

She shrugged. "Thanking him couldn't hurt."

"Alright. I'll do that. That's if he lets me into his office."

"He will," she assured him. "I'm really excited for you Draco. It feels like everything is falling into place now."

"I know. I never expected it. But it feels like my life is just now starting. I have everything. I have you." He leaned over and kissed her.

"You do have me. And now you have a job too. And a house we need to move into. There's a lot going on."

There was a lot going on, but it all felt right to him. This was how it was meant to be. He'd been on a dark path his whole life and he never knew there could be anything else for him. But he had been wrong. He was given a chance to start over and put right the many wrongs he'd done in his life. He probably didn't deserve it, but he was grateful for it all.

He left Hermione alone to her work, and he headed towards Harry's office. The same receptionist he encountered before stopped him again.

"Are you on the list?" she asked him giving him a distasteful look.

"You know I'm not. But you also know Potter will see me. So tell him I'm here. I work here now. So it's official business," Draco told her somewhat smugly.

"You work here?"

"Yes. So please tell Harry I'm here."

"Very well." She was displeased but she got up and went into the office to tell Harry he had a visitor. She motioned for him to come in and then she walked away. Draco entered the office and found Harry sitting there behind the desk waiting for him. He closed the door behind him.

"What do you want, Draco? I already did all I could for you so don't ask me for anything else," Harry told him.

"I'm not here to ask you for anything. I'm here to thank you. They gave me the job. And I know that it's only because of you. So thanks," Draco said feeling highly uncomfortable.

"Oh, well, good. You're welcome, I guess. I only did it because you saved Hermione's life. It's not like I like you," Harry protested.

"Right. I know. We're not pals. I get it. But you know there was a time when I wanted to be your friend. It's ridiculous actually. But when I first met you, I thought you'd want to be my friend too. But you instantly hated me."

"I hated you because you were rude and pompous. And you only wanted to be my friend because of who I was. The famous Harry Potter. You didn't like me."

"I didn't even know you then. I just heard of you. Everyone had. I figured it'd be good to have you as a friend."

"Well it didn't work out that way now did it?"

"No, it didn't. And maybe you'll always hate me? I don't know. I don't care either. But I'm in your life and I'm not going away. So maybe you should get used to me."

"I'm already used to you. I know you're not going anywhere. And I don't actually hate you anymore. I'm over it. I mean, you made my life hell at every opportunity. And you tried to kill Dumbledore, which I'm never forgetting. No matter that you didn't actually do it. But the fact of the mater is, I know you're gonna be in my life because of Hermione. And I've made peace with it. So let's just agree to get along to make things easier."

"Okay. I can do that. I promise you I won't insult you, if you promise not to insult me."

"Deal."

"Deal"

"Alright, now get out of my office. Don't you have work to do now?" Harry said with a small smile.

"I haven't started yet. But don't worry, I'm leaving," he smiled back. "Thanks again."

"Don't mention it. Just don't screw it up please. I vouched for you."

"I know. I won't."

And with that, he turned around and left the office. It had been a good day and he was smiling as he walked away.

A few weeks went by and Draco and Hermione were both settling into their jobs. Hermione was faring better than Draco was though. People liked her. They respected her. But they didn't much care for him. He tried very hard to be polite and pleasant to his fellow co-workers, but no one seemed to trust him at all. He was getting frustrated. He wasn't used to having people shun him like this. It was nothing like being at school, that's for sure. He had no people to hang around with really. He was a big fat loner and he hated it. He didn't know how to function in the face of such adversity. He would try and take his lunch time when Hermione took hers so he wouldn't be alone, but it didn't always work out that way. Sometimes their schedules refused to match up. And today was one of those days. He walked into the cafeteria and proceeded to get in line to buy lunch. Some women in front of him started whispering to each other and looking at him. Then they laughed. He was annoyed.

"What's so funny?" he asked them curiously.

"Oh nothing. It's just an inside joke," one of the women told him quickly.

"Inside joke? About me?"

"Why would it be about you?" she asked.

"Because you were looking at me right before you laughed."

"Oh alright. So there's a rumor going around that your family paid Harry Potter ten thousand galleons to get you this job."

"And someone said that you were sleeping with Hermione Granger just so you could spy on the Ministry," the other girl added.

Draco rolled his eyes and groaned. "It's ridiculous and untrue. And who am I supposed to be spying for anyway? Voldemort is dead."

They both looked aghast that he actually said his name out loud.

"Don't say that name," one of them warned him. "It's still taboo."

"I don't care. It's just a name. And he's fucking dead people. Get over it."

"Well we all thought he was dead once before and he wasn't. Who's to say he won't come back again?" the girl asked in hushed tones.

"He's not coming back this time. And if he was, I wouldn't be spying for him," Draco told them.

"People don't trust you."

"I don't care. I just do my job. And maybe you two gossips should just do your job too and shut up for a change," Draco snarled at them.

They just gave him a glare and turned around, trying to keep their distance from him. He sighed and shook his head.

"Don't let them get to you," a small voice behind him said.

He turned around and looked and saw a small woman standing behind him giving him a smile. She looked about his age, maybe a little older. He'd never seen her before.

"I'm Lauren. Lauren Archibald. I work in Department of Magical creatures. I heard all about you joining the Ministry, but I don't pay attention to gossip like that," she told him.

He smiled back at her, pleased that someone was being nice at least.

"Yeah, you really shouldn't believe everything you hear. Likely it's not true," he told her.

"I know that. But is it true you're dating Hermione Granger?" she wondered.

He nodded. "Yes, I am."

"That's a pity. I find you rather dashing myself," she admitted with a sly smile.

"Dashing eh? Well, thanks. I guess."

"I was rather hoping you were single."

"You were?"

"Yes. I always had a soft spot for the underdog."

"I'm not an underdog. I'm just misunderstood, that's all. And I'm flattered by your interest but I am quite involved already," he told her.

"Well if you want someone to eat with, I'll eat with you. I can't bear to see you eat alone."

"Uh, it's alright. Really."

"Suit yourself," she shrugged.

He really just wanted to be alone. He didn't need this girl flirting with him because it would likely turn into a tale of him cheating on Hermione and he couldn't have that. No, it was safer to be a lone wolf. He got his food and went to find a table. He found one in a corner and he sat down quickly. He ate his lunch hurriedly, not wanting to spend much time in the busy cafeteria. But then a man came over and sat down across from him.

"Draco Malfoy," he said with a small grin. "So the rumors are true then? You work here?"

"Yes. Who are you? Do I know you?" Draco asked curiously.

"We went to school together. I'm Michael Davies. Hufflepuff. I have the distinct memory of you and your buddies tripping me in the hall and making me drop all of my books in my second year."

"Oh. Sorry. I was a bit of a prat back then," Draco admitted.

"No worries. I was a big nerd. You weren't the only ones to mess around with me," he told him.

"Well you seem to have grown up well," Draco said, not knowing what else to tell him.

"Look, I know people here kind of hate you. I hear them talking. And see, I remember what that feels like. To be ridiculed and a total outcast. So I just wanted to say hi and tell you that not everyone thinks bad of you. I hear you've been doing well at the job," he told him.

"I'm trying. But I'm not used to being an outcast. It's unsettling. How do you stand it?"

Michael shrugged. "You just learn to stop caring. Eventually people will come around. By the time I was in my sixth year at school I'd grown into myself a bit. I didn't look like a hapless dork anymore. I made friends. You will too."

"Well thanks for talking to me. And sorry again for whatever I did to you in school."

"It's okay. Bygones. Welcome to the team here." Michael smiled and then got up and left. It was the first person who'd really bothered to even talk to him. And Draco had wronged him in the past so it made little sense why he was being nice to him. But maybe there were other forgiving souls out there besides just Hermione?

When it was quitting time, he met Hermione and they left together through the Floo network. It was very convenient to have a house connected to it. They'd moved in recently and still had a lot of boxes lying around and the place was only half furnished. It was a bit of a mess but they hadn't had time to really put it together yet.

"I'm so tired," Hermione complained as she kicked off her shoes. "I'm drowning in papers and they just keep coming."

"I'm glad I don't have as much paperwork as you. I'd go mad," Draco said throwing himself on the sofa.

"I'm really sorry I wasn't available for lunch today. Did you find someone to sit with?" she asked, concerned over how poorly she knew he was being treated at work.

"No, I sat alone. But this one guy came and talked to me for a minute. It was weird. But he was nice I guess. We went to school together, but I don't remember him. He remembered me though."

"Well you were rather well known around campus."

"It seems I'm still well known, but now it's just to be the fodder of every rumor known to man."

She went and sat down next to him on the sofa. She cuddled up to him and gave him a kiss.

"It'll be okay. It just takes people time to warm up."

"Maybe it was a mistake me trying to fit in there? Maybe I should just give up?" he said feeling defeated.

"No, you can't give up. Your bosses are pleased with you. Who cares what the others think? They talk about me too, you know," she informed him.

"They do?"

"Yes. Quite a lot actually. The most popular thing I hear is that I slept with Harry to get my job and then I blackmailed him into hiring you."

"What? Who said that?"

She shrugged. "I don't know where it started but I overheard it in the ladies room. The other popular rumor is that you've got me and Harry under a spell."

"People are idiots. They'll believe anything. I think I liked it better back in London where no one knew us."

"Yeah, me too. I rather miss that life actually. But it'll get better here. It has to. You'll see." She kissed him again and snuggled under his arm. Coming back to this life hadn't been quite what she expected. But she wasn't regretful. She knew that they were both in a place where they belonged. And one day no one would even remember the past. Someday everything would be better. They just had to weather this storm for now.

**To be continued…Please leave feedback! I would appreciate it very much. Thank you!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

Draco was sitting in the cafeteria at work lost in his own thoughts. Hermione was busy again so she couldn't come eat with him. But he was rather used to eating alone now. It almost didn't even bother him. But he was trying to come up with an idea that would somehow get him in the good graces of his co-workers. He wanted to do something to show them that he and his family weren't really so awful after all. But he was coming up empty. At least until the idea popped into his head. It was a good idea. It might even work But he'd have to talk to his father about it first. He decided he'd go see him after work and talk to him about the idea. When quitting time came, he told Hermione he was going to his parents and would be home later. She'd been disappointed, but she kissed him goodbye and let him go. He showed up at the Manor and his father was surprised to see him.

"Draco. What a pleasant surprise," his father said. "What are you doing here?"

"Well it's about work actually. People don't like me there. They don't like any of us really. They blame me for things you did."

Lucius sighed. "Well what would you like me to do about that? I can't control what people think of me."

"Yes you can. I mean, you can try. You've not done anything since the war to show people that you're different or to be trusted. How do you expect to ever rebuild the family name to something respectable when all you do is sit around here and polish your shiny knick knacks and fix your hair in the mirror?" Draco said somewhat bitterly.

"I do not fix my hair in the mirror. I do plenty. I oversee many things and meet with people. I've been trying to make new contacts, but it's slow going. And I do not want you to blame me because people at your work don't like you."

"Look, I'm not here to argue with you or blame you. I'm merely pointing out the facts. You need to do something genuinely good. And let a lot of people see it. It will help all of us."

"What sort of genuinely good thing shall I do? Rescue some orphans? Leap into a burning building and save people?" Lucius asked incredulously.

"No. I had something different in mind. Take a look at this place. It's filled with all kinds of rare and expensive artifacts. What do you need them all for anyway? I say host a charity auction to help raise money for St..Mungo's. It's a worthy cause. They're always needing funding for research and what not. And we'll invite people from my work to show up. Then they'll see that the Malfoy's aren't a bunch of stuck up assholes."

"You really think that will work?" Lucius was disbelieving.

"I don't know. Maybe? It can't hurt. You used to throw big parties all the time and people loved them. And this would be to raise money for something good. It's all about PR. And frankly ours sucks right now. I remember when I could walk in a room and say my name and people would fall all over themselves to befriend me. And now? They hear my name and they walk away in disgust. Something has to be done about this. You wanted me to come back here and live a proper life, but how can I when everyone still thinks we're evil?" Draco asked him seriously.

Lucius paced around the room and didn't know what to say to his son. He had never meant for their name to be so disgraced. His mistakes were still hurting his family and he didn't know how to make up for them.

"I'll do whatever you think will help. Does that satisfy you? If you want a charitable auction, I suppose I could arrange that. Although I have no idea what I'd be willing to part with. I've already given up all the dark artifacts I owned. That pained me. I spent years acquiring those things," he said wistfully.

"I'm sure there are plenty of items you can live without. How about all the stuff in the upstairs sitting room? No one ever even goes in there."

"I go in there. Sometimes. Not often. But that doesn't mean I want to get rid of my possessions."

"Not even if it means making yourself look better and helping the family out?"

"Fine. Fine, I'll figure something out. But I hardly think this will work. What if no one shows up?" Lucius worried.

"I don't know. I hope they will. And invite other people too. Whatever friends you have left. We need all the people we can get."

Draco had no idea if this would work at all. And his father was right. What if no one actually showed up? That would be embarrassing. But he had to try something. Something to make his family look good and like they had changed. He didn't know what else to do.

It took a few weeks for his father to actually compile a list of items he was willing to part with. But once that was done, Draco decided to send out the invitations. Hermione told him she thought it was a good idea, but not to expect too much. She didn't want him to get his hopes up that people would actually attend this party. But she promised to do her best to recruit people for him. He had all the invites made up and they were sitting on his desk. He waved his wand and they all magically transformed into paper birds. Then with a wave of his wand, he sent them flying off through the building in search of their intended recipients. He sat back in his chair and hoped for a miracle. By lunch time, he met up with Hermione and oddly enough, Harry, and they all three ate together while they discussed the party plan.

"Did everyone get an invite?" Draco asked Hermione.

She nodded. "I think so. I heard a lot of people talking about it."

"What were they saying?"

"Good things mostly. I heard a lot of people saying how it would be interesting to actually see inside this elusive Manor of yours," she told him.

"I had a few people ask me if I was going, and I told them yes. I think they wanted to see if I approved or not," Harry chimed in.

"I'm glad you're actually coming. That's good. If you aren't afraid to come then maybe everyone else will follow suit?" Draco said hopefully.

"I know people have been giving you a hard time. It's not really fair. They should at least get to know you before they decide to hate you," Harry said with a small smirk.

Draco just gave him a dirty look and went back to eating his lunch.

Hermione put her arm around him in support. "I think if people got to know you, they would not hate you. They would like you."

"Love, I think you might be the only person that actually does like me," Draco sighed.

"Well this charity function could really change people's opinions. It's for a good cause. And people love a party, especially one inside a palatial mansion."

"There will also be a lot of booze. People like booze. Should I have mentioned that in the invite?"

"I think people know parties have booze. It's expected." Hermione assured him.

Just then someone walked up to their table. "Hey Harry," the guy said.

"Hey Marcus. What's up?"

"I was just wondering why you were sitting at Malfoy's table. You're not actually friends with him are you?" he asked, giving Draco a glare.

"I am friends with him, Marcus. And he's sitting right there. Do you have to be so rude?" Harry asked with irritation.

"Sorry. I just thought you guys hated each other. Are you going to this party thing?"

"Yes, I am. And you should too. It's for a good cause."

Marcus looked at Draco. "Will there be girls at this party?"

"I certainly hope so," he responded icily.

Marcus shrugged. "I might check it out. Catch ya later."

He walked off and Draco looked at Harry. "You didn't have to tell him you were my friend. We both know you're not."

"Well what was I supposed to say then? He put me on the spot. And I'm trying to help you. If people think we're friends it can only be good for you."

"I know that," Draco admitted with a small sigh. "Oh how the mighty have fallen. The day has come when the only reason people will talk to me is because I'm friends with Harry Potter. How could this be my life?" Draco lamented to himself.

"I'm sorry if being my fake friend causes you pain, but face the facts Malfoy. People actually like me and they care what I think. You no longer rule the roost. The days of you swaggering around like you own the place are over. This is my territory. Like it or leave it," Harry told him pointedly.

"I don't need you to remind me of who's the golden boy around here. I already fucking know it's you. It's always been you. You could do nothing wrong. You'd get 500 points for Gryffindor just for breathing," Draco said with irritation.

"I didn't ask for any of that. Do you think it wasn't fucking hard to be me? I had the weight of the entire world resting on my shoulders since I was just a child. Don't you think I wished it was someone else but me?" Harry said heatedly.

"I don't know, you seemed to enjoy the attention from where I was standing."

"Well I didn't. Did you want a stupid lightning bolt on your forehead huh? Did you wish it was you who faced down Voldemort countless times? Do you wish it was you that had to save the world by actually dying first to do it? Do you wish it was your parents he fucking killed in cold blood?"

"Harry, calm down," Hermione urged him.

"No it's fine. Let him vent. It's obvious he's needed to get this out in the open for awhile," Draco told her. "Look Harry, I don't wish it was me. Okay? I get it. Your life sucked the big one. It's just you did it all with such ease that I assumed you were quite pleased to be the hero and enjoyed the adulation from the crowd."

"Well I didn't. I still don't. It's embarrassing. Do you think all these people here who kiss my ass actually like me? They don't even know me. The only people who ever actually knew me in school were Ron and Hermione. And not much has changed, except I have Ginny now. But basically people like me because I'm a bloody icon. They don't see me as a real person. So stop feeling sorry for yourself because you aren't being treated like royalty anymore. Welcome to the real world, Draco. You have to work to make people like you. Even if it means pretending to be friends with me."

"I am trying to work at it! Why do you think I'm throwing this stupid party? I know I'm not fucking royalty anymore. I'm universally despised by the general population. And I don't even know what we're fighting about here. I'm actually grateful you're pretending to be my friend. I don't know why you're doing it. I just can't believe how much life has changed. I mean, look at us. The three of us would never sit together in a million years, but here we are. I'm in love with the girl who used to detest the sight of me. And the boy I tormented endlessly is trying to help me out. It's all mental."

"Draco, just stop talking and calm down. People are staring at us," Hermione told him.

"Let them stare. I'm used to it."

"Do you think this is easy for me either?" Harry asked Draco. "I don't want to be helping you. I'm doing it for Hermione's sake. And the only reason I'm sitting here right now is because I'm trying to understand what the hell she sees in you. She says you've changed, but you still seem like the same spoiled git I always knew."

Draco just looked at him and said nothing. Then he finally spoke. "Look, I'm sorry, alright? It's just been very stressful for me working here. I'm trying to do something good and no one is giving me a chance. I didn't expect a warm welcome, but I did expect people to at least speak to me. I'm not used to this. And it's not attention I'm seeking. It's just acceptance. That's all. I don't need everyone to love me. I just want a chance at a normal life. You wouldn't understand."

"Do you think I really don't understand what it's like to want a normal life? That's all I ever wanted. But I was chosen when I was baby to be something more than I ever really wanted to be. All of the things that I did, I had no choice. I wanted to be carefree and just enjoy my youth. But I wasn't allowed that freedom. At least you had a time where your life _was_ normal. I didn't get that," Harry told him.

"Yeah, it was normal until Voldemort showed up and took over everything. You may have faced him several times but you didn't actually _live_ with him. How do you think it felt to wake up every day and have him right there in your fucking house? Watching your every move. Controlling every aspect of your life. At least you faced him down and annihilated him. All I could do was watch," Draco informed him.

Harry looked at Draco and for the first time, he actually felt a bit sorry for him. It was clear that Draco had been through a lot too. Harry just never was willing to admit that Draco wasn't happy to be part of Voldemort's inner circle. But he could see the look on his face and it told him otherwise. Draco had not been willing. Draco was not evil. His only crime had been being a colossal jerk off in school. But he wasn't a little boy anymore. They were all grown up now. And Harry found himself actually wanting to give Draco the chance at life that he so craved.

"Look, I think this party will help show people who you are now. They'll see that you've changed and maybe they'll give you a chance?" Harry told him quietly.

"But you don't think I've changed."

"I do. Alright? I do think you've changed. And Hermione says you have and she knows you best. I have to trust her."

"He really has changed, Harry. You don't know him like I do," Hermione said softly.

"I believe you. Look, I've gotta go back to work. I'll see you two around." Harry got up and left the table, leaving Draco and Hermione alone.

He looked at her. "This whole party idea is stupid isn't it? It's not really going to change people's opinions of me."

"I don't think that's true. I think it will. But you also must understand that some people just are never going to be your friends. No matter what. I know that you used to walk in a room and people would be impressed by you simply because of who you were. But none of those people ever cared for you. They didn't even know you. And I've learned in my life that it's not really all that important to be adored by the masses. What really matters is having a few close people who really know you and love you for who you are," she told him seriously, taking his hands across the table.

"You really know me. You're the only one."

"And I love the person I see staring back at me."

"I love you too," he whispered to her and leaned over and kissed her softly.

"It will all get easier soon. I promise you that."

"I hope you're right."

Draco was pinning his hopes on this party to help his image. He didn't know why it was bothering him so much that people hated him. He supposed it was just because he'd never experienced such a thing. He wanted a little respect back. That's all. He didn't need an adoring crowd of followers. It wasn't about that. It was about people treating him like an equal and not the scum they scraped off their shoe. He wasn't after power and glory. Just acceptance. He'd never had to work very hard for that in his life and one of the reasons he ran away to London was because he didn't want to work for that. He knew that people didn't like him anymore, so he fled. A self imposed exile where it didn't matter anymore because no one knew him. But that life had also been very lonely before Hermione showed up. He just wanted his rightful place in the Wizarding World where he grew up and belonged in. And someday he wanted to have his children be proud of their father and who he was instead of being ashamed of him. The Malfoy name had been synonymous with greed and power and untold riches and also evil doing. His father left a legacy of nefarious practices in his wake. And it was up to Draco to change that perception.

It was one week until the party and Draco had received quite a lot of RSVP's. He was rather shocked. But the owls kept flying in their window at night dropping off another acceptance. He was quite pleased. And his father said he had invited a handful of well to do families he knew that had no associations with Voldemort or Death Eaters. The Greengrass's being one of them. Draco had balked at that and reminded his father he was not going to ask out their daughter. Lucius had promised him he wasn't going to set them up or force them on each other. After all, Hermione would be at the party. Everything seemed to be going along smoothly and he was actually being treated better at work already. People kept asking about the party and not giving him the cold shoulder. It was rather pleasant for a change. And tonight they were supposed to go to Harry's for dinner. It was an evening he hoped would be nice and not filled with tension. Although he knew that Ron was also invited. He didn't know how that was going to go.

"Are you almost ready?" Hermione called out to him.

"Yeah, I'm just getting my shoes on," he called back.

"We always seem to be running late," she remarked as he came down the stairs after a moment.

"We like to make a grand entrance," he told her as he kissed her.

"Well if we're any later, the dinner will be over. So let's go."

They set off for Harry's place and walked up the familiar steps to the house. The last time they'd been there together chaos had ensued and Hermione had run away and Draco ended up in a coma. He hoped this would be a much better evening. But Ron made him nervous and twitchy. He was a loose cannon. And he still didn't like Hermione being around him. He was afraid their old feelings would stir and he'd be left in the dust. He knew it was a stupid fear, but he still had it. Ginny opened the door and gave Hermione a hug.

"I'm so glad you came," she told her. Then she looked at Draco. "Nice to see you again," she said trying to keep the smile on her face. She had promised to be nice to him and she was certainly trying.

"Nice to see you too. At least you're not calling me names yet," he remarked to her.

"Well I've been expressly told to be nice, so lucky for you I'm out of insults," she told him.

They followed her into the house and everyone was waiting for them. Ginny offered them drinks and they sat down in the living room with everyone else. Ron sat across the room from them and just stared at the two of them. He said nothing. It was highly uncomfortable but thankfully the dinner was ready soon and they all trudged into the dining room. Everyone was talking about stories that Draco didn't know about. He felt a little left out so he just sat there quietly, getting a glimpse into the lives of the people who were now his semi-friends. He wasn't sure what to call them actually since no one really seemed to like him, but yet there he was. Insinuated into their circle because of Hermione. She kept holding his hand under the table in effort to show him she hadn't forgotten him sitting there. But he wished he could join the conversation.

"Do you remember when me and my friends dressed up as Dementors and scared the shit out of you?" Draco asked Harry, reliving one his favorite memories like everyone else had been doing.

Harry just looked at him. "That wasn't funny, Malfoy," he told him giving him a look.

"Yes it was. It was hilarious. I couldn't believe you actually thought we were real."

"You looked real enough from where I was."

"I got detention for that little stunt. But I think it was worth it," Draco remembered.

"Do you have any stories to share they don't involve the tormenting of my friends?" Hermione interjected, slightly peeved he brought that story up. He was the only one who thought it was funny.

He looked a little embarrassed and then shrugged. "Sorry. I just thought it was a funny memory. Figured it was water under the bridge. A spot of fun to laugh about now."

"I remember a spot of fun too," Ron piped up. "It involved Hermione punching you in the face. Now that was a right fun moment."

Everyone at the table laughed and Draco just sat there. Then despite his irritation, he laughed too. "Alright, alright. Maybe that _is_ funny. Now. But Hermione was fucking scary. I thought she might kill me."

"I thought of it," Hermione admitted as she gave him a playful shove.

"Right, it's okay to laugh at my humiliations but not Potter's? That hardly seems fair," he scoffed.

"Life's not fair," Ron said with a shrug. "And about that Dementor story, I remember my brother telling me you almost shit your very expensive pants when the Dementors entered the train that one time. You were making fun of Harry for fainting but you almost shit yourself."

"I did not! Whoever told you that is a liar," Draco insisted.

"My brother doesn't lie. He saw you! Don't pretend you're all tough and shit. We all know you're a coward," Ron said giving him a hard look.

"Fine. Alright. So maybe the Dementors were a bit frightening but I didn't almost shit myself," Draco sighed.

"You _did_ almost shit yourself when we had that detention in the Forbidden Forest. You should have seen the look on your face when Hagrid said that's where we were going," Harry chimed in.

"Like you weren't scared too. It was called the Forbidden Forest for a reason! No one was supposed to go in there, much less students. It wasn't detention, it was a death sentence," Draco told him.

"I wasn't scared," Hermione piped up. "I knew we'd be fine."

"You aren't scared of anything are you?" Draco asked her.

She shrugged. "Sure I am. I've been scared loads of times. Just not then. I trusted Hagrid."

"Why were you guys always hanging around his hut anyway? I never understood that," Draco shook his head.

"He was our friend," Harry told him.

"Friend? He was an oaf. My father was appalled when he learned he became an actual teacher."

"Your father was appalled if someone looked at you funny. You were such a spoiled git," Ron told him. "Always running to Daddy every time anything didn't go your way."

Draco had nothing to say to that. It was true. He had always run to his Daddy for every little thing and infraction against his sensibilities. He had no witty comeback so he just leaned back in his chair and said nothing.

After the dinner was over, Harry suggested they all play some modified Quidditch in the back yard.

"I don't have a broom with me," Draco told Harry.

"I've got extras. You can use one of mine. Unless you're afraid to play with us?"

"I'm not afraid. Why would I be afraid?"

"Because we can be a bit rowdy. It's all in good fun of course."

Hermione urged Draco to join them. "It'll be fun. Just join them."

Draco sighed. "Fine. Give me a broom. I'll wipe the floor with you lot," he smirked at Harry.

Draco grabbed a broom from Harry and walked out into the yard. Hermione looked at Harry.

"Be nice to him," she reminded him.

"I'll try. But it's really Ginny he needs to watch out for. She's brutal."

They didn't have enough people to actually form proper teams. It was just the four of them. Harry, Ginny, Ron and Draco. But it was mostly for the enjoyment of flying around on brooms than to play a proper game.

"Why is Draco on my team?" Ron asked with annoyance.

"Because Ginny is on my team," Harry told him.

"But I don't want him on my team," Ron pouted.

"Get over it. He's actually good at the game. You might beat us," Harry offered.

"Yeah right. Whatever." Ron walked over and stood next to Draco begrudgingly.

They all took off into the air and it was decided that Ron and Ginny would be the ones trying to make the goals, while Harry and Draco helped fend them off and looked for the snitch at the same time. There were no bludgers in this game. Just a quaffle and a snitch. And without keepers it wasn't too hard to actually make a goal. But that was part of the fun. They zoomed around and Ginny quickly had the quaffle and was racing towards the opposite end of the yard.

"Stop her!" Ron shouted to Draco. Draco zoomed over into her path and she zipped over his head flew past. Ron darted over and tried to stop her but she threw the quaffle as hard as she could and made the points.

It went on like that for awhile and Ron and Draco were looking quite sad up there. They weren't making many goals. But Draco did spy the snitch finally. He was beginning to think Harry didn't really have one in play at all. But he saw it and raced over to where it was. But Harry saw what he saw and beat him to it. They started ramming each other with their brooms, trying to knock the other one out of the way.

"Stop hitting me!" Harry shouted as he swerved into Draco hard in retaliation.

"_You_ stop hitting _me_!" Draco rammed into Harry and almost knocked him off his broom.

Hermione just watched and got worried for both of them. She was afraid someone would be hurt.

"Be careful up there!" she shouted at them, but she wasn't sure they heard her. She held her face in her hands.

"I'm not letting you win," Draco told Harry as he got closer to the snitch.

"I'm certainly not letting you win," Harry shot back.

Draco gave him hard look and he slammed his broom right into Harry causing him to spin away from him. The snitch was right in his grasp. He reached out to take it and just as he took hold of it, Ginny came up and rammed right into him. He flew sideways and started plummeting to the ground off his broom. Harry saw it and he raced over and grabbed Draco out of the air and onto his broomstick.

"Bloody hell. Your girlfriend tried to kill me!" Draco shouted, holding on for dear life.

"You deserved it," Harry told him.

"Yeah, well I caught this," he said holding up the snitch. "I win! So stuff it."

They landed back down on the ground and everyone was getting their wits about them again. Ron was pleased when he saw that Draco caught the snitch. He didn't think they could actually beat Harry and Ginny. But he still didn't like Draco so he went over and high fived Ginny.

"Nice one, Gin. You fucking slammed him off that broom. It was brilliant!" Ron told his sister.

"Hey now. I'm on your fucking team. And we won. Why are you congratulating her?" Draco asked Ron.

Ron shrugged. "Because it was really funny watching you fall like that."

"Yeah, real funny. I could have died."

"I wasn't gonna let you die," Harry groaned. "I have this compulsion to save your ass all the time even when I shouldn't."

"Well thank you. At least you didn't let me fall to my certain death caused by your girlfriend."

"Oh you've fallen off a broom before and lived to tell the tale," Ginny told him, dusting herself off. "It was just a bit of fun. I was just playing."

Hermione came over and inspected Draco. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I won. Did you see that? I beat Potter and the Weaselette."

"Yes, I saw. But I also saw you falling too. I was scared," she admitted. Then she looked at Ginny. "You could have killed him."

"Relax, I knew Harry would catch him."

"How did you know that?"

"Because it's what Harry does. Now lighten up. It was a fun game. No one got hurt. Except our pride. I cannot believe we lost," Ginny lamented.

Hermione pulled Draco over to the side. "I'm sorry that Ginny attacked you," she told him.

He shook it off. "It's fine. Really. That's the game. And I won so I who cares right?" He smiled at her.

"I swear, I still don't understand the appeal of this game," Hermione shook her head.

"It's fun. Exhilarating. Haven't you ever sped around on a broom just for the fun of it?" he asked her.

"No. Not really. I've been on a broom, yes. But they scare me a little. I'm afraid I'll fall off."

"Fall off? You told me you once rode a fucking dragon. And you're afraid of a broom?"

"The dragon was terrifying! It's not like I had any choice in the matter," she protested.

"You should try it sometime. Just for kicks. I bet you'll like it."

"I don't know. Maybe."

He leaned over and kissed her quickly. He didn't want the Weasel to see and get all bent out of shape. But she smiled at him and kissed him back.

"Thanks for getting on with my friends. I know that it's weird for you."

"Don't mention it. I'm getting used to them. And they're not so bad."

"Ginny just slammed you off your broom," she reminded him.

Draco shrugged. "It's kind of amusing how much she dislikes me. I'm rolling with the punches."

They went back inside and everyone sat around the living room again. This time Harry brought out the liquor. Everyone was drinking and things were getting very loud and laughter would erupt at various intervals. Everyone was enjoying themselves, including Draco, which surprised Hermione.

"Ron, do you remember the time you ate those chocolates of mine that were filled with love potion?" Harry asked his friend.

Ron groaned. "Don't remind me. That was crazy. Who was I in love with again?"

"Romilda Vane. You wanted me to introduce you two because you were meant to be."

"I don't even remember who that was. Who was she?"

Harry shrugged. "Some girl who fancied me. I didn't even know her."

"I can't imagine being desperate enough to put a love potion into a box of chocolates," Ginny shook her head.

"Oh you weren't much better, Ginny. You had stars in your eyes for Harry ever since you first saw him. Remember that ridiculous singing Valentine you sent him?" Ron started busting up laughing.

Ginny turned red and hid her face. "I was young and stupid. I thought it would get his attention," she defended herself.

"It got my attention alright. And the attention of everyone around me. It was mortifying," Harry laughed.

"I can't believe I used to be such a stupid fan girl. You rendered me utterly ridiculous," Ginny told Harry as she put her arm around him.

He kissed her. "I'm glad you finally stopped acting like a lunatic. I like you much better this way," he told her.

"I love you," she cooed at him ruffling his hair and giving him another kiss.

"Oh barf. Will you two stop? I don't need to see this," Ron complained.

"It's our house, Ron. We can be disgusting if we want," Ginny protested.

Ron looked at Hermione and Draco. "If you two start snogging and whispering sweet nothings to each other, I'm leaving for sure. It's bad enough I have to see my sister and my best friend," he told them.

"We wouldn't snog in front of you Ron. We do have a little self control," Hermione told him.

Draco put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. "I don't know. Self control isn't really my strong suit," he told her with a smirk.

"I mean it! Please do not kiss in front of me. I can't handle all this fucking love junk," Ron insisted giving them a bitter look.

"Are you just jealous? No one to snuggle up with now?" Draco asked.

"Do you really want to start with me? I've been pretty fucking nice to you all evening. But don't test me," Ron warned him.

Draco put up his hands. "Sorry. Sore subject. I get it. Although I did give you the name of a girl to hook up with. What did you ever do with that information?"

Ron looked at him with a glare. "I threw it in the trash. I figured it was a joke and you were trying to set me up with some old hag."

Draco laughed. "Old hag? Hardly. This girl is supposedly gorgeous. She must be or else my parents wouldn't have wanted me to marry her. And I was giving her to you on a silver platter. You should have at least given it a shot."

"Why? So she could laugh at me? I don't think that any girl who was expecting to marry _you_ would be all that impressed with the likes of me. Hermione is living proof."

"Ron that's not true. That's not how it was," Hermione protested.

"The hell it's not. I mean look at him. And then look at me. It's no wonder you ran off with him," Ron said miserably.

"Look, we're not friends. And I've made fun of you my entire life. But you're not that bad," Draco admitted with a sigh. "In fact, you're not actually bad looking. For a ginger anyway."

"Thanks. Maybe if I wanted to date you, I'd get lucky tonight," Ron said making a face at him.

"I'm just trying to be nice. I mean there must be some girl out there who would want you. Who was that bint you used to snog all over the school in sixth year?"

"That was Lavender. She's not exactly available right now," Ron told him.

"Why not? Is she seeing someone else?"

"No, she's dead."

That got Draco to shut up. At least momentarily.

"Oh. Sorry. I didn't know," he admitted quietly.

"It's alright. We were long since over. And it's not like I actually loved her. Not like I did…" he just trailed off and didn't finish the sentence. There was no need. Everyone knew who he was talking about.

"Well I think Draco is right. There is a girl out there for you. And you'll find her," Hermione chimed in trying to lighten the mood.

"It doesn't matter. I just don't wanna see all this lovey dovey crap. It makes me ill," Ron sighed.

Draco leaned over and whispered to Hermione, "We have got to get that boy laid."

She smacked his arm. "You're horrible," she whispered back.

"What? It's true. All that sexual frustration is building a ticking time bomb. I bet you if he got a good shag in with someone, he'd forget all about you."

"So you're saying I'm easily forgettable with a simple shag with someone else?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No. I don't know. I'm just trying to be helpful. Why is it everything I say comes out wrong?" he groaned.

"I can hear what you two are saying. I'm not deaf," Ron told them.

"I thought we were whispering," Draco said feeling slightly stupid.

"No, not really. And I appreciate your concern for my sexual well being but I'm fine. There is more to life than shagging."

"Yeah but what kind of life is that?" Draco wondered.

"Will you please just shut up? I'm trying to be civil and every time you open your mouth I want to punch you again. So just stop," Ron pleaded with him.

"Fine. I'll shut up."

The evening ended and everyone departed to their own houses. Draco and Hermione were a little drunk and they stumbled up their walkway together, holding each other up.

"You know, I actually had fun tonight," Draco told her.

"You did?"

"Yeah. I mean, everyone seems to dislike me, but they tolerate me. It's not so bad. I think they all like me more than they let on," he supposed.

"You really think so?" Hermione was less sure.

"Yeah. I mean Potter saved me from falling to my death. And even Ron wasn't that much of a dick to me. It's just that Ginny girl. I don't know why she has it in for me so badly."

"She's very protective of Ron and Harry. It's just the way she is. But she's really nice otherwise."

"I guess. So she's been in love with Potter since she was a girl eh?" Draco wondered.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. It's rather sweet. She was starstruck when she first met him."

"So what did she do to actually get him to notice her?"

"I think she stopped acting like a fool and started being herself. That's what I told her to do. I told her that he'd never really give her much mind unless she showed him who she actually was. And you've met her. You can see how strong and opinionated she is. She's a lot more than a lovestruck fool."

"I always imagined Harry with someone different. In fact, I always imagined him with you. It was kind of weird when I found out that wasn't the case," he admitted.

"Harry and I would be a terrible couple. We're much more suited as friends."

"Lucky for me," he whispered as he leaned over and gave her a big kiss.

"We should probably go inside now before the neighbors start peering out their windows at us," she told him with a smile.

"Don't fancy an audience?"

"No. Let's go upstairs. I'm eager to get you out of those clothes," she whispered to him.

She didn't have to tell him twice. They practically ran into the house together trying not to fall over from all the drink they had. They kissed their way up the darkened stairs and Hermione hoped they wouldn't trip and kill themselves. They made it all the way up and began discarding their clothes as they walked down the hallway. They fell into their room and onto the bed, laughing through their kisses.

"God I love you," he told her as he nuzzled her neck.

"I love you too," she whispered back as she clawed at his back in a passionate frenzy. "I need you now."

They made wild passionate love and nearly ended up on the floor a few times. They knocked the lamp over and scared Crookshanks off the pillow as he leapt away from them. They were finally spent and laid sprawled out across the bed, both panting for air. Draco rolled over and put his arm across her stomach and nestled his head in the crook of her arm.

"You're so amazing," he told her. "I don't deserve you at all. What did I ever do that afforded me your affections?" he asked.

She looked down at him and smoothed his hair out of his face. "You showed me who you really were. You were vulnerable to me. You showed me your heart. And I was helpless against it," she whispered to him.

He looked up at her and smiled. "Marry me, Granger," he told her quickly.

"What?" she asked with surprise.

"You heard me. Marry me. Let's just do it. I want to marry you," he told her with a big grin.

"You're drunk. And crazy. Get married? Are you joking?" she asked him, laughing slightly.

He propped himself up on his elbow and stared down at her. He traced the contours of her face and smiled. "I'm dead serious. And I'm not that drunk. I mean it. Marry me," he urged her.

She just stared at him and was at a loss for words. Then she raised her eyebrow at him. "Do you have a ring for me?" she wondered.

He shook his head. "Afraid not. But I'll get one."

"Well if I'm to be proposed to, I expect it to be good. I want a ring. And you on your knees. And it should really be more romantic than this," she told him with a sly grin.

"So are you turning me down?"

"Yes. I won't be asked the most important question of my life while lying naked on a bed and half drunk. I want a good story to tell our children someday and this isn't it. You'll have to do better," she told him haughtily.

"Alright Granger. Message received and duly noted. But if I go through all that trouble, I better get a good answer," he told her.

"I'm not telling you my answer in advance. It takes the surprise out," she explained.

"But I don't really want to be surprised by your answer. Generally a surprise answer to a proposal isn't a good thing. There's only one right answer to the question," he laughed slightly.

"Well you'll just have to wait and see. Now stop talking rubbish and just kiss me."

She pulled him down to her and they kissed hungrily. The truth was, his question had shocked the hell out of her. They'd never once actually discussed marriage. Not marriage to each other. It came out of left field. And she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about it. She hadn't even considered such a thing seriously. And whenever Ron had brought it up, it scared her senseless. But with Draco, she wasn't exactly scared. She was just taken aback. Did he really mean what he said? Or was he drunk and in a lust induced haze? He seemed serious. But she meant what she told him. If he wanted to ask her that question, he better do it right. A girl only gets engaged once, hopefully anyway. She wanted it to be romantic and special and not something drunkenly uttered after sex. She wanted a fairytale. And she was in no rush. She already felt like she had it all. She didn't need any more than that. She could wait. But she already knew what her answer would be. It would be yes.

It was finally the night of the big party at the Malfoy's house. Draco was nervous as hell and so were his parents, though they'd never admit it. But Hermione watched the three of them busy around the Manor trying to make sure everything was perfect. There were three house elves scurrying about setting things on tables and making sure all the food and drink was laid out properly. And Hermione knew there more elves in the kitchen working away at trays of hors d'oeuvres.

"Do you really think all these people are actually coming?" Lucius asked Draco as they stood in the living room surveying the atmosphere.

"I believe so. They said they were coming. But just remember to be nice, Father. Some of these people you would once have thought beneath you. Forget all that. Remember. Be friendly. Act like you really care about St. Mungo's and people in general," Draco reminded his father.

"I think I can manage to act like a human being for one night, Draco. I'm not daft. I do know how to be charming when necessary," Lucius scoffed.

"But you're really intimidating. You scare people. Do you really need to carry that cane with you?" Draco asked him, snatching it out of his hands.

"Give that back! My wand is in there. Do you expect me to walk around without it?" he asked grabbing back the cane.

"What do you need your wand for? Are you expecting the guests to launch an attack against us? They're here for charity not battle," Draco told him.

"Oh honestly, I always carry this with me. I'm never without it. Why should tonight be any different? I promise I won't wave it anyone."

"Draco dear, calm down a little. You're making your father nervous. Just let him be. We've entertained guests a million times. I'm sure tonight will be lovely," Narcissa told her son.

"I just want it to be perfect. That's all."

Hermione walked over and entered the discussion. "I think your mum is right, Draco. Just relax. Your father will mind himself. I trust him," she said, looking at Lucius with a hopeful smile.

"Honestly Draco, what are you expecting I'll do tonight? Flip out and begin killing everyone? I'm a civilized person. And I realize it's a time to play nicely, even with those I might not normally chose to associate with. I will be polite." Lucius assured him.

"See? He'll be polite. Everything will be great," Hermione told Draco with a smile.

"I'm trying to be calm but everyone from work will be here, if the RSVP's are to be believed. I just want perfection. And even you told me my father is scary just to be around," Draco reminded Hermione.

Lucius looked at her. "I'm scary?" he asked her.

She shrunk back a little and nodded her head. "A little bit. I can't help it. I just know who you are. And I've seen you in action. Remember the Department of Mysteries? I watched you attack all of us."

He sighed. "I remember. Bloody mess that was. But you must understand that I'm not like that anymore. My wife and I would just like to live in peace now. I'm not scary. I've welcomed you into my house haven't I?" he asked Hermione.

"Yes, you have. And you've been kind to me. But other people besides me remember your not so gentle side."

"Why are we doing this then? You and Draco seem to think I'm going to scare off all the guests, so why am I even doing this?" Lucius ranted.

Narcissa went to him and put her arm around him. "It's alright dear. They don't mean anything by it. They're just trying to help us redeem ourselves in the eyes of Wizarding society. You must know we need to look good. It will be fine though. We'll be perfect hosts," she reassured him.

Just then the doorbell rang. Someone had already arrived. They had lifted the charms on the house especially for the occasion so that people could get into the house. One of the elves ran to get the door and the four of them stood in the living room waiting to see who it was. It ended up being Harry, Ron and Ginny. They had all come together. They walked into the room and the three of them seemed to bristle slightly at the sight of Lucius standing there. But Harry walked over and said hello.

"Thanks for inviting us to your party," he told Lucius with a strained smile.

"Think nothing of it. Of course we'd invite you. The great Harry Potter. Savior to us all. I'm quite pleased you showed up," Lucius told him with actual sincerity.

"This is my girlfriend Ginny and her brother Ron. I don't know if you know them," Harry said indicating the people with him.

"They're Weasley's, yes? I recognize the hair. It's nice to meet you," Lucius extended his hand to them.

Ginny took it and shook it, but Ron declined. He just moved over to where the food was and asked, "Are these for anyone to eat?"

Draco looked at him. "Dig in. They're not poisoned."

Ron proceeded to eat the food and ignore everyone else around him. It was his way of coping.

"Would you like something to drink?" Narcissa asked the three of them. "We have some lovely wines and liqueurs."

Ginny said she wanted wine and Harry told her he was fine. Ron piped up and asked for something strong. Narcissa motioned to a house elf to see to their refreshments and then she turned her attention back to the small group.

"So, it's very odd having us all together in one room, I suppose. But let's do make the most of it, shall we?" Narcissa said with a smile.

She just hoped that other guests would arrive soon so the atmosphere wasn't so unpleasant and awkward. She got her wish. Soon several people began arriving and everyone was eating and drinking and talking in little groups. People steered clear of the hosts for the most part. Draco was a little disappointed by that, but what could you expect? These people didn't really trust any of them. But they were there, enjoying their food and drink. So that said something. He stuck close to Hermione.

"Do these people look happy? Like they're having fun?" he asked her.

She nodded and took a sip of her wine. "Yes, I think it's going well. So far anyway. When does the auction begin?"

"Soon. We're just waiting to make sure everyone has arrived," he told her.

More time passed and more people arrived. The place was filled with bodies everywhere. Then Draco saw his father leading a girl over towards him through the crowd. Hermione noticed too and looked at Draco.

"Who is that your father is with?" she asked him.

"I don't know. But he's coming over here with her."

Lucius approached his son and proudly showed off the girl he was with.

"Draco, this is Astoria. I wanted you two to meet finally," he said with a smile.

Hermione was irritated, mostly because this girl was beautiful. Thin and tall and dark haired with bright green eyes. She suddenly felt frumpy in her pink party dress. This was the girl his family wished he would marry, not her.

Draco extended his hand to Astoria. "Nice to meet you. I've heard good things about you," he told her politely.

She smiled widely at him. "I can't believe we're finally meeting. My parents have been going on about you for ages," she told him.

"Yes well, likewise here. But this is my girlfriend. Hermione Granger." He motioned to the girl who stood closely next to him, trying to stake her claim on what was hers.

Hermione extended her hand to Astoria. "Charmed, I'm sure," she told her as they shook hands.

"Girlfriend huh?" Astoria said with mild disappointment. "I rather thought you were single, Draco."

"No I'm afraid not," Draco told her. "But do come with me. There's someone I'd like you to meet," he told her, taking her hand and pulling her with him.

Hermione followed along closely not knowing what Draco was up to. Why was he holding that girls hand? She didn't like it. But then they wound through the crowd and found Ron standing by the food table gorging himself. They approached and Draco thrust Astoria in Ron's direction.

"Have you met my friend Ron?" he asked with a smile on his face.

Ron looked at him in confusion and swallowed his food quickly.

"No, I don't believe we've met," Astoria said looking Ron over.

"Ron, this is Astoria."

Ron was speechless. She was actually gorgeous and not a hag. But it didn't matter because he had no idea what to say to her.

"Uh, hi," he managed to squeak out unimpressively.

She held out her hand and he took it and shook it lightly.

"So you're a friend of Draco's?" she asked him.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. We're good pals," Ron lied quickly.

"I know our parents wished for us to make a love connection, but I'm afraid that's not going to happen. But my friend Ron here is a very amazing wizard. He's one of the heroes of the war. He's a great catch," Draco said with a big grin.

"Really?" Astoria asked. "A war hero? I do think I recall your name. Is it Ronald Weasley?" she asked.

"Yes. That's right. That's me," Ron said trying to be confident.

"I hear you were pivotal in the defeat of you know who. That's quite impressive. You must be very brave," she told him with a smile.

"Oh it was nothing really. Just doing what needed to be done," Ron said trying to be humble.

"My family had nothing to do with that war. Dreadful really. But we read all about it. It was such a relief when it was finally over."

"Yeah, it was awful. I lost a brother," Ron told her.

Astoria put her arm around Ron. "Oh you poor thing. How terrible. I'm so sorry for you."

"It's alright. He died a hero. We're right proud of him."

"Do tell me more," Astoria said to him curiously.

Draco just looked at Hermione and smiled. Then he took her hand and led her away from Ron and Astoria.

"You set them up together?" she asked him curiously.

"It needed to be done. I mean look at them? She thinks he's the cat's pajamas. I had to get rid of her somehow," he told Hermione.

"She is quite lovely. Are you sure you don't wish you were going to marry her?" Hermione asked trying to sound aloof.

Draco spun her around and looked her in the eyes. "Are you kidding me? I have the loveliest girl here. Let Ron enjoy Astoria. He looks pretty happy to me." Draco pointed at the two of them and saw Astoria and Ron laughing together.

"You didn't have to do that," she told him.

"Yeah, I did. And don't mention it. I took something of his, so I'm giving him something back. Who knows? Maybe love will bloom?"

"Perhaps. I don't know."

"You don't mind, do you? You're not jealous if Ron moves on right?" Draco wondered.

"Of course not! God, no, I wish nothing but that. I want him to move on. I want us all to be happy."

"Good. So let the lovebirds be. I have a good feeling about them," Draco smiled.

"You really think she and Ron will hit if off?" she asked him.

"Why not? Stranger things have happened. I did him a favor. Don't forget that. I had no reason to do that except that I wanted to see him happy."

She studied his face. "Why do you really care?"

"I dunno. I just do. I stole his girlfriend. The least I could do is offer a replacement of some sort."

She leaned up and kissed him. "You didn't steal me from him. I went willingly."

"I don't think he sees it that way," Draco told her.

"Well he's wrong. We needed to end things, regardless of me meeting you again. We just weren't meant to be."

"Whatever. Either way, let's hope he and Astoria hit it off eh?"

The auction part of the evening was about to begin. They had hired a man who did auctions to lead this up. He started out the bidding on one of the items and people were furiously bidding. The entire auction became a huge success and Lucius didn't cry too much over his lost possessions. It was all going for a good cause and a lot of people walked away with items they never dreamed of owning. It had gone perfectly. And people were coming up to Draco and thanking him for the invite. He was gracious and very pleased that they had come. The party had done wonders for the family. Even Lucius admitted as much.

"I never really believed this auction would make much of a difference, but people were talking to me. They were friendly. I was friendly back. It's all very surreal. But perhaps you were right that this was a good idea?" he said to Draco.

"It was a good idea. Everyone is leaving happy. I say well done, Father. You managed not to scare everyone off."

Lucius gave him a look then sighed.. "I was very polite and pleasant. There were a few people here who I would never speak to, but I did so. And it was worth it because they spent a small fortune. I guess one never knows about people."

"Thanks for doing this. I hope it'll make a difference at work. And if it doesn't, then I guess I tried my best."

"I think it will help. You'll see. Everyone had a grand time," Hermione told him reassuringly.

The place eventually cleared out and they were left there alone.

"I guess we should be getting back home," Draco told his parents.

"It was a lovely evening," his mother said with a smile. She was pleased at the reception and the turn out.

"Thank you for hosting this. It means a lot," Draco told both of them.

"Anything for you, dear," his mother reached over and hugged him.

"I did have quite a good time. So thank you," Hermione told them.

"Don't think about it. It was our pleasure," Narcissa smiled at her.

"Alright, we're leaving. Thank you Father for being good."

Lucius just nodded and said nothing. They said their goodbyes and the two of them disappeared from the Manor. They showed up in front of their house, relieved to be home.

"I think you made a good dent in public opinion. At least they can say you know how to throw a party," Hermione told him.

"Yeah, that's something. I guess we'll just wait and see what difference it made."

Draco still had no idea what people thought of him. But he also found himself caring a lot less. Hermione was right before. It was better to be loved for who you were by a few people, than adored by masses who knew nothing of who you actually were. And even if things were strained and rocky, he actually counted Hermione's friends as his own. Perhaps he was reaching, but he didn't care. He actually liked Potter and the Weasel. He couldn't explain it and didn't feel like delving that deep to understand it. But he did. And he knew as long as he was with Hermione, he'd have their loyalty, no matter how begrudgingly they offered it. But it felt like he was a part of something now. Something good. And he'd never felt that way before. Hermione had given him a new lease on life. And he was forever in her debt for it.

**To be continued…Please leave feedback! I'd love to know what you think of the story so far. It's almost done!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

After the party, things started to look up for Draco at work. He still wasn't everyone's favorite person, but you can't please them all. The people who did attend and heard how much money had been donated, were quite impressed. It even made the paper, so lots of people who weren't there still read about it. It had been a good move for the entire family. No one had really seen or heard from them since the war because they kept such a low profile and didn't want to make any waves anywhere. So this was the first time they'd been mentioned in quite awhile, and this time it was for a good reason. A lot of people were now at least saying hello to Draco in the hallways and not treating him like he didn't belong there. It felt good to him. He hated feeling so uncomfortable before and like everyone was just waiting for him to make a mistake or launch an attack on them. Now it felt more like he was actually part of a group.

But lunch time was still a bit of a hassle when Hermione wasn't free. He hadn't actually warmed up to anyone enough that he felt comfortable to sit at their table. And so far no one had invited him to sit at theirs. But today when he walked across the room with his food he was stopped by someone unexpected.

"Malfoy!" He heard his name being called. He looked around and saw Harry sitting alone at a table. He motioned for him to come over. Draco felt a little awkward about it, but he supposed they'd been getting along well enough. At least when they had the occasion to cross paths, which wasn't all that often. He walked over to the table and looked at Harry.

"Yeah? Do you need something?" Draco asked him.

"No. I just thought maybe you'd like to sit here," Harry offered.

"Sit here? With you?" Draco was surprised.

"Yes, with me. I wanted to talk to you."

Draco hesitated for a moment, then he set his tray down and slid into the seat across from him.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" he asked curiously.

"It's about Ron actually."

"What about Ron? I haven't done anything to him if that's what you're wondering." Draco was slightly defensive.

"No, I know that. It's about that girl you introduced him to at the party. Astoria?" Harry explained.

"Yeah, what about her? She was pretty wasn't she? Just like I told you she'd be."

"She was pretty. So pretty that Ron is already having stars in his eyes for her. And she actually seems to like him. He asked her out and she said yes," Harry informed him.

Draco leaned over. "Really? He actually had the guts to ask her out? I'm impressed. And she said yes?"

Harry nodded. "Ron's kind of freaking out a little though because she's really rich. And well you know his family isn't exactly rolling around in it. Do you think that's going to make a difference to her?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't know. I don't really know the girl at all. Ron talked to her more than I did at that party. She didn't seem like a snob though. She seemed pretty impressed with his tales of the war and his many heroics. I think that mattered more to her than his money, or lack thereof."

"I hope you're right. And it's not as if Ron doesn't have money now. He actually does. Nothing like what you have, but his business does well. You'd be surprised at how much money you can make selling joke items," Harry told him.

"Well good on Ron, then. Maybe he can impress her after all? Do you know where he's taking her?" Draco wondered.

"No, I have no idea. But I told him it should be nice. Not a coffee shop or a diner like he usually goes to."

"Yeah, he doesn't want to take her to a diner. She'd probably not be very impressed. I know of some good places. I could tell you and you could tell him maybe? If you're interested."

"Sure. Tell me some places and I'll pass it on."

"Alright. Well there's Merlino's and it's quite nice. But maybe a bit out of his price range. How much money do you say he has now?" Draco asked curiously.

"I don't know. Enough. More than he ever had before," Harry shrugged, not really knowing the answer.

"Well Merlino's is good. So is Patrice's Bistro. That might be more his speed."

"Have you wined and dined Hermione at these places?" Harry asked curiously.

"I might have. She really liked Merlino's. Italian food. She said it's her favorite."

"Yeah, that is her favorite," Harry agreed. Then he looked at Draco. "So honestly tell me, how on earth did you get Hermione to give you the time of day? I'm not being a jerk, I'm _genuinely_ curious. Because she really couldn't stand you when we were in school."

Draco laughed slightly and shook his head. "I don't know. I was kind of annoying to her at first. I followed her around and just watched her until she finally got so fed up that she sat down with me. And I don't know, it just went from there. We talked. She didn't make it easy at first, but who could blame her right? But eventually we just got to know each other and realized we had fun together. Being with her was the first genuine fun I'd had in years. I felt like I could be myself with her. My _actual_ self and not the pompous arse I always put on for everyone. I was real with her. And I guess she liked it," Draco explained.

"Huh. So you just talked and acted like a normal person and she just let you into her life?"

"Yup. Pretty much. Besides I was different than I was before. She saw it and I guess she just gave me a chance. Not to mention that we had a very smoldering physical attraction to one another that just couldn't be helped."

"Yuck. I think I know more than I wanted to. But I guess I get it. I mean, you _are_ different. I'll hand you that. But I keep waiting for you to start laughing and mocking and shout out, 'fooled you!' or something like that," Harry told him.

Draco sighed. "Well you'll be waiting a long time for that because it's not gonna happen. I actually love her. And she loves me. Which is a big shocker for all of us, believe me. But she does. And I intend to be with her forever," Draco told him seriously.

"Forever, forever? Like do you mean you want to marry her?" Harry wondered.

Draco laughed slightly. "I already asked her. She told me no. She said I was doing it wrong. She wanted something better than what I did. And she wanted a ring."

"You actually _asked _her?" Harry was shocked.

"Yeah, I did. And I'm gonna keep asking until she either says yes or tells me to sod off. I'm not giving up."

"Wow. I mean, that's just…wow. You actually _proposed_?"

"Yes. And she said no, remember?"

"I know. I just can't believe you're that serious about her. I kind of expected you'd have your fun for awhile and then be done with it."

"I'm not crazy. I know what I have and I'm not letting it go. She's the best thing that ever happened to me. My life was empty before her. I'd had other girls in my life, but I never loved any of them. Not even close. I don't even know if I knew how to love until after I met up with Hermione again. She saved me," Draco told him seriously.

Harry listened to his words and absorbed them. Draco was really serious. He wasn't going anywhere. And he wasn't going to turn around one day and say it had all been an elaborate joke just to get back at them somehow. He really loved Hermione. Harry wasn't sure he honestly believed that until now.

"Well for your sake, I hope the next time you ask her, she says yes," Harry told him with a small smile.

"You really mean that? If she says yes, that means you're stuck with me forever too. And I rather thought you'd be gleefully awaiting the day that I walked out of your life for good."

"Nah. I'm used to you now. And you make Hermione happy. So I guess that means we're all stuck together no matter what."

"You know, you're not half as irritating as I used to think you were," Draco admitted.

"Likewise," Harry said truthfully.

"Oh god, does this mean we're actually friends now?" Draco asked making a face.

"Looks like. Or at least friendly. Let's not push it too far," Harry told him.

"Yeah, you're right. Let's not push it. I gotta get back to work. Tell Ron about the restaurant and that I wish him good luck with Astoria," Draco said, getting up from the table.

"I'll tell him. And thanks for introducing the two of them. I think he needed that little boost to his ego."

"Don't mention it. I did what any friend would do."

Draco smiled at him. Then he just turned around and walked away. He was friends with Harry Potter. It was bizarre and surreal and he never thought the day would actually come. But the truth was, neither one of them had given the other a chance to actually be friendly back in school. They'd both hated each other almost instantly. Draco wanted to be his friend but he snubbed him right off the bat. And ever since then they both made it their mission to mess with each other and hurl insults back and forth. Harry was just as unwelcoming to Draco as he was to him. But now they were both forced to be in each others lives. And it turns out that they actually could get along if they tried to. Everything was different now. None of them were the same people they used to be. Growing up and going through a war had changed them all. None of them had an easy time of things and they'd all been pivotal in the events that occurred. And maybe Draco was forced to be on the wrong side, but that tormented him. Just as much as what Hermione and her friends went through. They had all suffered and been forced to grow up way too fast and do things they didn't really want to have to do. They weren't really all that different when you thought about it that way.

Draco and Hermione were having dinner with her parents. Draco had met them once before and they seemed to like him. But they also admitted they had a soft spot for Ron and would miss him. That had troubled Draco slightly. He hated feeling like everyone else in the world thought Hermione and Ron were meant to be. It was clear that wasn't the case. And not just because he had rolled back into her life. She told him several times that the relationship was doomed already. But knowing he was competing with someone who everyone seemed to love compelled him to try just a little bit harder to be charming so they wouldn't think that their daughter settled for second best. He was still slightly awkward around Muggles, even though he lived as one for quite awhile. But there were still certain things he didn't know about or understand exactly, and being with her parents was a little weird. Mostly because they were nothing at all like his parents. But then again, whose parents were? Hermione's parents were down to earth and nice and very welcoming. He liked them.

They were sitting in the living room waiting for the dinner to be ready and everyone was sipping wine.

Hermione's mom laughed a little and said, "I still can't believe my little girl is old enough to be drinking wine with us. It seems like just yesterday when I was pushing you in a pram."

"Mum, stop. That was forever ago. I haven't been a baby in a long time," Hermione told her.

"I know, I know. But you'll always be my baby," she said. Then she turned to Draco. "Are you close to your parents?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'd say we are. We've had our moments of disagreement, but we've patched things up."

"What did you disagree about?" Hermione's dad asked him.

"Oh you know. The usual stuff. They didn't like what I was doing with my life. Which at the time was nothing. I was a bit aimless when Hermione and I first got together," he admitted.

"I used to fight with my parents all the time when I was a teenager because I insisted I didn't want to go to university, I wanted to travel the world and backpack through Europe," Mrs. Granger laughed.

"Did you do that? Or did you go straight to university?" Draco wondered.

"Oh I went to school. My parents let me take a four week holiday in Europe but then it was back to school. But it's lucky for me because that's where Hermione's father and I met," she smiled at her husband.

"Yes, we met in dental school. We used to have to practice procedures on other students and for some reason she always picked me. I think she rather enjoyed drilling holes in my teeth," Hermione's dad chuckled.

"You actually _drill_ teeth? Like they do in those alien abduction movies I've seen?" Draco was aghast.

Both her parents laughed heartily at his horror.

"No, no, it's nothing that ghastly. Plus the patients are numb. They don't feel it," her dad explained.

"Numb? How do you numb them?"

"With a needle of course."

"Ugh. I think I prefer the way they do it in the magical world. They just wave a wand and suddenly your teeth are fixed. I can't imagine a needle in my mouth," Draco made a squeamish face.

"Oh Draco, you're such a sissy sometimes. It's not a big deal. I've had it done several times. I had eight teeth pulled when I was young," Hermione told him.

"Pulled? Why?"

"My teeth were too big for my mouth. They had to make room," she explained.

"Well I've never experienced such a thing thankfully. I _am_ a sissy when it comes to things that sound like torture," Draco admitted with a laugh. "And yet people pay you to do that to them. It's crazy. Do you actually enjoy putting your hands into people's mouths?"

"Sure. It's not so bad. You wear gloves," Hermione's mother told him.

"Gloves? Interesting. Like surgical gloves? I've seen those on TV too."

"Yes, those types of gloves. Do they really not have those where you're from?" Hermione's dad asked.

"No, they don't need them."

"Well I think it's fascinating what you all do with just a little stick and some magic words. I don't understand it at all, no matter how many times Hermione has tried to explain it. Imagine our surprise when we learned that our daughter was a witch. We had no idea," her mum said.

Draco looked at Hermione curiously. "Did _you_ know? When you were a child. Did you know you could do magic?" He'd never thought to ask her before. He had always grown up knowing he could do it and was shown how to do it from a very young age.

Hermione shrugged. "I knew there was something different about me. Sometimes things would just sort of happen. Like if I was scared or worried or upset. One time I made it rain in my bedroom because I was so upset that I got a bad grade on a test. I think it was a metaphor for my tears or something."

"I remember that. You were eight. I'll never forget opening your room up and finding it flooded. You said a pipe burst in the ceiling," her dad recalled.

"I didn't know how else to explain it. I thought I was mad. But when we were contacted by Hogwarts, it all made perfect sense to me," Hermione smiled.

"Well we were less sure about it, I'll tell you that. I mean first you find out that witches are real and then you find out your daughter is one? It was a bit much for us to grasp at first," her dad said to them.

"Yeah, I didn't want her to go to that school. I thought it sounded like a bit of insanity. I always assumed Hermione would follow our footsteps and become a dentist too," her mom said.

"But you guys eventually got over it and let her go. What changed your mind?" Draco asked them.

"She did. She insisted that she be allowed to attend Hogwarts. And she promised us that if it was all a big sham, she'd come straight home. But here we are all these years later. It was all true. And we couldn't be more proud of her." Her mum smiled widely.

"You should be proud. She's a fantastic witch. And I'm sure you must know she basically helped save the world a few years ago," Draco told them.

"Yes, we know. Although we had no idea at the time what she was doing. Unbeknownst to us she had erased our memories and sent us to Australia. We had no idea. For a year, we didn't even know we had a daughter," her mum said quietly.

"You obliviated your parents?" Draco asked Hermione.

"Yes. I felt like I had no choice. I needed them to be safe. But I found them and I fixed them," Hermione explained.

"How did you reverse an obliviation spell? I mean I work in the obliviator department at work and once your memory is gone, it's gone," Draco said confused.

"Well that's not entirely true. There is a counterspell. I researched it. And the way I obliviated them was slightly different than your average spell. I wanted to make sure I could get them back if I survived."

"There's a counterspell? Does the Ministry know about it?"

"I'm sure they do. I read it in a book. A very old book that was hard to come by. But like I said, I did it so that it wouldn't be permanent if it didn't have to be. I knew what I was doing," she explained.

"You really are smart. I'm in awe of you," Draco smiled at her.

"Oh stop it. You're going to make me blush. It was nothing," Hermione tried to wave away his praise.

"I think that dinner is ready," Hermione's mom announced, interrupting the conversation. It still pained her to recall how Hermione had altered their memories.

They all got up and went to the dining room and Hermione's mother brought out the meal. Everyone dug in and enjoyed themselves.

"What is this?" Draco asked after swallowing a mouthful.

"It's chicken curry," her mom told him.

"I like it. It's kind of spicy. I used to see curry places all over London when I lived there but I never tried it. I didn't know what it was," Draco admitted.

"I don't know how good mine is, but it's a favorite of ours. Does your mother cook?"

"My mother? Oh god no. She's never cooked anything before in her life. We have house elves," Draco told her.

"What on earth is a house elf?" she asked.

"It's an elf. That cooks and cleans and does whatever you ask it to do."

"An elf? There are such things as elves?" she was mystified. Hermione never mentioned that to her before.

"Yes Mum, they have elves. They're kind of cute. Or rather so ugly that they're cute. Like some of those weird hairless dogs you see on the telly," Hermione explained.

"Bizarre. What else do you have? Fairies?" her dad asked.

"Sure. Fairies are real. But you'd be hard pressed to find them unless you go deep into the woods. They don't like people," Draco explained.

"Have you ever seen one?" Hermione asked him curiously.

"Me? No. But I read about them. I like to read a lot. Maybe not as much as Hermione does, but a lot."

"Yes, I think she's read every book ever written," her dad laughed.

"I'm sure there are a few I've missed," Hermione told him.

"I don't know love, you've pretty much read everything known to man as far as I'm aware," Draco laughed.

"No that's not true. I don't read trashy romance novels. You know the ones with Fabio on the cover? I can't stand such drivel," Hermione informed them.

"Who's Fabio?" Draco asked.

"I don't know. He's some model. He kind of looks like your father actually, with the long blonde hair and all."

"My father looks like a guy on the cover of trashy romance novels?" Draco couldn't help but laugh.

"Sort of. Except your father is not as well muscled. At least I don't think so. I wouldn't know. I've never seen him without a shirt on nor do I wish to," Hermione laughed.

"Thank god. If you wanted to see my father shirtless I'd be a little horrified and also jealous," Draco smirked at her.

She smacked his arm. "Shut up. Now I have terrible images of your father ravishing poor helpless farmgirls without his shirt on. I'll have nightmares."

"Speaking of your father Draco, what does he do for a living? Hermione told us you were very well off," Hermione's dad asked.

"He oversees trusts and investments. It's old family money. He doesn't really have what you'd call a regular job," Draco tried to explain.

"Must be nice. And I assume your mother doesn't need to work?"

"No, she doesn't. My poor mum wouldn't know what to do if someone gave her an actual job to do. She's rather fond of hosting tea parties and gardening."

"Perhaps someday we shall meet your parents? I'd love to see where you came from, Draco," Hermione's mum said.

"Meet them? Yes, well I'm sure that could eventually be arranged. I'm sure they're dying to meet you too." Draco was nervous beyond belief to think of bringing their parents together. It was true his parents had acted wonderfully at the party they threw but sitting at a dinner with two Muggles might be more than they could handle. But he knew that it would have to happen at some point. It was unavoidable.

After they were done eating, Hermione helped her mum with the dishes in the kitchen, leaving Draco and her father alone in the living room. It was slightly awkward at first because they'd run out of things to talk about. But Draco decided to be bold.

"Mr. Granger, I'd like to ask you something important," Draco began.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Well, you know that Hermione and I have been together awhile. And we live together."

"Yes, I'm aware of that."

"Right. Well, I would like to make things more official. But I want to do it right. I would like to ask for your blessing to marry your daughter," Draco managed ask nervously.

Hermione's dad seemed a little shocked at first but then he just smiled. "You're actually asking for _my_ permission first?"

"Yes. I felt it was only right."

"Well don't you think it's a little soon? Wouldn't you rather wait a bit?" her father asked.

"No. I don't want to wait. Your daughter has changed my life. I love her with all my heart. And I promise to always be good to her. I want to spend my life with her. And hopefully she feels the same for me. But I would like your blessing."

Hermione's dad was quiet for a moment. Then he looked at Draco. "You have my blessing. I can see that you make my daughter very happy. And if she's agreeable, then I'd love nothing more than to have you be a part of our family."

"Thank you," Draco said, reaching over to shake his hand. "I'm quite pleased. I was nervous to ask you. I wasn't sure how well you liked me. I know I'm not like her last boyfriend."

"No, you're not like him. He was a great bloke. But that doesn't mean you aren't too. I'm quite pleased, so don't worry."

"You know, I wasn't always a very good person. In fact Hermione and I used to come to blows in school. She hated me. But everything is so different now. I may have known her since I was eleven, but I feel like we really only just met. We started over. And it's been the best time of my entire life. She's amazing. And I promise I'll take good care of her," Draco told him sincerely.

"I can't imagine her ever hating you. You're quite charming and polite and entertaining to be with."

"Well I wasn't always like that. I'm no prince charming. But I'm going to do my best to be a better man for your daughter. And for myself. I realize Hermione and I are young. Only twenty. But sometimes it feels as if we've lived a thousand lives."

"Yes, well, I know that Hermione made some hard choices and was in quite a lot of danger not so long ago. I'm relieved actually that we had no idea until later on. But I know my daughter had to grow up very quickly and she's mature beyond her years. And I can tell that you are too. So I trust you know what you're doing. And I wish you both much happiness. I'm sure my wife will agree."

"Now that I have your permission I just need Hermione to actually say yes. Cross your fingers for me," Draco smiled at him.

"How could she refuse?"

Hermione's dad stood up and motioned to give Draco a hug. He was a little taken aback at first but he obliged the man. It was still less awkward than hugging Voldemort, thankfully. But only just. He wasn't used to such affections from fatherly figures. His own father had rarely hugged him. But Hermione's parents were affectionate and he appreciated the gesture.

"Welcome to our family Draco. I can't wait to meet your parents."

That was the dreaded moment Draco had been putting off for quite some time. In fact, it had never been suggested by anyone before now. But if he was to actually marry Hermione, the meeting would have to take place. And he knew that his parents were well aware of his eventual intentions with Hermione, but he doubted they'd fully accepted it. But hopefully they'd have to, assuming she said yes. But if they weren't accepting then he would still do it anyway. It didn't matter. He knew what he wanted and he was not going to let it slip through his fingers. He just hoped that she felt the same way he did and would give him the answer he desired. If not, he was going to feel very foolish and let down. But he had a good feeling about it. He knew deep inside that she wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with her. She had asked him to do it right, so that's what he was doing. Now all he needed was a ring.

**To be continued….Please do leave me reviews. I'd love to know what you think of my story! It's coming to a close soon. Probably 2-3 more chapters!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

Draco stared at the choices of rings at the jewelry shop. He couldn't make up his mind. They were all beautiful. Some of them were simple but elegant, and some were far more elaborate and possibly gaudy. He wasn't sure. He wasn't a jewelry expert. And he didn't know which ring would really suit Hermione's tastes. She was a simple girl who never fussed all that much about clothing and makeup, so he thought maybe she'd enjoy a simple ring. But in his eyes the simple rings were just far too ordinary and boring. He wanted her to have something better than that. He narrowed it down to two choices but he couldn't decide so he bought them both. He was assured that he could return whichever ring he didn't choose and he could get a full refund. He thanked the man behind the counter and then he set off. Hermione had gone out to lunch and shopping with Ginny that day, so he was on his own. But that just meant that Harry was possibly free and alone and he could ask his advice. After all he was her best friend. Maybe he knew which ring she would like the best? He decided to try his luck going over to Harry's.

He apparated there and walked up the steps somewhat anxiously. They'd decided to be friends, or rather they proclaimed they were 'friendly' now. But Draco had never popped in on Harry by himself just to chit chat. It still felt weird. But who else did he have to ask advice from? He knocked on the door and waited. Finally Harry appeared and opened up.

"Draco? What's up? Why are you at my house?" he asked curiously.

"Are you alone?" Draco wondered, not sure if maybe he had friends over. Namely Ron.

"Uh, yeah, I'm alone. Why?"

"Because I need your advice. Can I come in?"

Harry was a little surprised to see Draco, but he figured there was no point in not letting him in. So he motioned for him to enter and Draco did so. He closed the door behind them and led him into the living room. They sat down on the couches opposite each other and Harry could tell Draco was a bit nervous.

"So what do you want advice on?" Harry asked finally.

Draco pulled both ring boxes out of his pocket and showed them to Harry. He opened them up and sat them on the table.

"Which one is better?" he asked.

"Are you proposing to me?" Harry asked with a small smirk.

"Right. I am. You know how I've waited for this moment with you. Now which ring goes best with your eyes?" Draco said sarcastically, giving him a look.

"Oh god, please don't even joke like that. I'll be sick." Harry made a yucky face.

"Of course the rings are not for you, they're for Hermione. And you know her best. You know what she likes. Which one is better?"

Harry picked them up and studied them. "I don't really know anything about jewelry," he admitted.

"Yeah, but you know Hermione. Probably better than anyone else knows her, besides maybe Ron. And of course I'm not going to ask him for his opinion," Draco stated.

Harry couldn't believe this was actually happening. Draco was so serious he'd actually bought rings. And now it was up to Harry to pick one out? It was all very surreal. He ran his hands through his hair and then he sighed and put the boxes down.

"I think this one is too big," he said finally.

"Too big? Isn't big a good thing? It shows how much I spent on it."

"Yeah, but Hermione doesn't care about that. I think she'd like the other one. It's smaller and less flashy. But it still looks expensive."

Draco picked up the ring he was talking about and examined it. "So you think she'd prefer this?"

Harry nodded. "That's just my opinion. I can't see her wearing the other one. It's just too much I think. Plus it looks like you're trying to show off with it. Like 'look how expensive it is!'. Hermione would feel self conscious wearing that."

"True. You're right. She doesn't really like to flaunt things like that in other people's faces. I'll go with this one," Draco said pocketing the chosen ring. Then he put the other one back in his other pocket.

"So when are you going to give this to her?" Harry wondered.

"Soon. I have it all planned. I'm going to take her to a nice meal and then I'm having one of my parents house elves come over and decorate the whole house. Very romantic like with flowers and candles and what not. I think she'll like it," Draco told him.

"Sounds good to me."

"I hope it will be good. I just want to get it right. She's going to say yes, isn't she? You don't think I'm a complete idiot for doing this?" Draco wondered.

"I honestly have no idea what she'll say. She turned you down once already. But if she said she wanted something special then I think you're on the right track."

"Has she said anything to you at all about me? Like how she feels or what she wants out of this?"

Harry shook his head. "Not really. I mean, she's told me she loves you. But that's about it. Do you want me to talk to her?" Harry asked.

"No. I don't want her to get suspicious. I want it to be a surprise."

"I think she'll love it," Harry told him honestly.

"Good. I hope you're right. I can't believe I'm doing this myself, except that it just feels right. You know? I mean, I want be with her forever. And I curse myself every day for all the time I wasted when I could have actually been with her a long time ago."

"Do you really think you would have been with her before if things in school had been different?" Harry was curious.

"I don't know. Suppose if we all didn't hate each other back then? Maybe it would have been different?"

"I think everything happens for a reason. I don't think you and Hermione were meant to get together until now. I think you both had to do some soul searching first. You needed to figure out who you wanted to be, and she was just as lost. I think it happened how it was supposed to," Harry told him seriously.

"You really think so? You think we have a shot?"

Harry sighed. "Yes, I do. And I can't believe I'm saying it because it's still so weird to me, but I think you two are good together. You're good for each other."

"She makes me a better person."

"And we're all thankful for that," Harry smiled.

"Yeah well, something needed to come along and kick me into changing. I mean, I'd changed before her, but she really held me up and made me believe in myself. If not for her, I'd probably still be out there hiding myself away in London and drinking myself to death."

"Why did you hide anyway? Did you really think that hiding would help? You can't run from inner demons," Harry said quietly.

"Inner demons. Yeah. You're right. You can't run from them. I did so many stupid things. Bad things. I hated myself. But I thought if I was around people who didn't know me or what I'd done, I could outrun it all. Just live a new life. But that was impossible really."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what?"

"What was it really like to live with Voldemort in your house?"

Draco laughed bitterly. "It was horrifying. It was not my father's idea nor did he ever invite him to set up headquarters at our house. Voldemort was angry at my father for screwing up at the Department of Mysteries. He wanted to punish him. But instead of just being merciful and killing him, he tried to destroy all of us. He made me do things I didn't want to do and I had no choice. I wanted to run then, but where would I go that he wouldn't find me? And what of my family? I couldn't leave them alone in his clutches. So I just did as I was told. But contrary to what you always thought of me back then, I wasn't evil. I didn't know how to be that way. I wasn't a killer or someone who got off on causing harm to others. I was just a spoiled brat before. I didn't even know what hit me when Voldemort took over. You faced him several times, but at least he was upfront about wanting to kill you. He was just trying to make us all suffer slowly. The only person in my family who actually believed in him was my aunt. But she was a fucking lunatic. Even my mother was scared of her. Because she knew that if given the orders, she'd kill any one of us without a second thought. Even though we were her family."

"I'm sorry it was like that, Draco. I really had no idea. I thought you were happy to be a part of it all. I really did. It wasn't until that day I caught you in the bathroom crying that I realized I might be wrong," Harry admitted quietly.

"Yeah, that day in the bathroom when you tried to kill me, you mean?"

"I-I wasn't trying to kill you. I didn't know what I was doing. But you tried to cruciate me and I just panicked and shouted out the first thing that came to my mind."

"That was really dumb of you, Potter. I mean, using spells you didn't know what they were? I thought you were smarter than that. For all you knew you could have blown me to pieces or something."

"I know. And I'm sorry for that. Honestly. I really never meant to hurt you like that. In fact before you started to curse me, I wanted to help you. You seemed so…broken. I was so sure that you were as evil as they come, but I saw how upset you were. My first thought was to ask if I could help you," Harry admitted.

"_Help_ me? You really think you could have helped me? You sound like Hermione now. She told me I should have confided in you and you lot would have protected me and my family. But I don't believe that," Draco shook his head.

"Well she's right. If we had known what was really happening and that you were being forced, we would have done something. I don't know what exactly, but we would have."

"If I had told you the big plans, you would have just dropped your wand and rushed to my aid? I highly doubt it. You couldn't stand me. And I couldn't stand you either," Draco pointed out.

"If that's true then why didn't you identify me at your house that one time? You knew it was me, but you said nothing. And why did I save you from the Fiendfyre? I could have let you die there. Think about it, Draco. When the chips were down, we saved each other. Remember that."

Draco thought about what Harry was saying. He was right. They had both done things to save one another, even despite being bitter enemies.

"I didn't tell them it was you at the Manor because I didn't want Voldemort to kill you. I wanted you to win. Because if you did, then I'd be free," Draco admitted to him. "And I don't really know why you saved me from that fire. I didn't deserve to be saved."

"Yes you did. I wasn't going to let you die."

"You really are the hero type then."

"I don't know. People throw that word around so much I don't know if it's what I am. I'm just me. And I did what had to be done. I didn't want to though. Do you know how hard it was to walk right into your own death, knowing you stood no chance of survival?" Harry asked him.

"No, I don't know what that would be like. But you didn't die."

"I did die. But I came back somehow. I still can't explain it. But I didn't know I'd come back when I walked in there. I thought I was just giving up. Letting him win. I thought it would save everyone else."

"With you dead, do you think we would have been saved? I know he said he wouldn't attack the school if you just came to him, but that was a fucking lie. Voldemort would never have stopped."

"I know. But I didn't know what else to do."

"I don't envy your position. I'd like to say that I would have done the same thing if I were you, but the truth is, I probably would have run forever," Draco admitted.

"No, I don't think you would have. You tried to run once but you came back to face the music. And it kind of sucked for you. But you did something about it."

"I suppose I did. I don't know. Like I said Hermione gave me the strength to come back. She was the only person who really believed in me. She looked at me and saw something that I couldn't see. She thought I was a worthy person. No one else has ever thought that about me."

"Don't tell anyone I said this, but I think you're worthy. You're not the same person I used to hate. And the truth is…I like you," Harry managed to get the words out.

"You like me? Potter, I'm flattered but I already have a girlfriend," Draco teased him with a smirk.

"Oh shut up. Leave it to you to make a heartfelt moment into a joke. I was being serious," Harry shook his head and laughed.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. It just sounds so fucking weird to hear you say you like me. But… I like you as well. I never imagined I would, but I do. Happy?"

Harry nodded but could think of nothing else to say at the moment. It felt awkward and weird for the two of them to admit they didn't hate one another any longer. At first he knew they were trying to get along for Hermione's sake and nothing more. But somewhere down the line they actually started becoming friends. They were giving each other a chance and that's something they never did before. But Harry was happy because if Hermione actually married Draco, he didn't want them to be enemies. He wanted to like the person Hermione chose to share her life with. He wanted their kids to grow up together and be happy. Hermione was like a sister to him. They were more than friends, they were family. And now Draco was likely going to be a part of that. It was amazing what could change in just a few short years.

Ginny and Hermione were sitting in a café having lunch together. It was the first time they'd gone out together in a long while and they both were enjoying themselves quite a lot. Hermione had missed having a girlfriend to talk to. She was so glad that she and Ginny patched things up and that Ginny was no longer angry about Draco or her dumping Ron. She supposed it just took some time to get over it all. But now they were back to being the friends they used to be.

"So did you know that Ron actually asked out that Astoria girl from the party?" Ginny asked Hermione.

"Yeah, I heard about that. How did it go?"

"Ron says it went perfectly. She thinks he's charming and goofy. Which apparently is a good thing. She said Draco seemed stuffy and boring and she was relieved that he was already taken."

"What? Draco stuffy and boring? Are you kidding me? He's neither of those things," Hermione defended him.

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know. That's just what Ron told me she said. I guess she's used to dating rich guys who are dull and uninteresting. She assumed Draco would be the same. But she thinks Ron is funny and interesting."

"Well he is. He's both of those things. And I'm glad someone else sees that in him. See I told you it was for the best we broke up. It sounds like he found a great girl," Hermione told her.

"Yeah, I guess. I don't know her yet. I might not like her. But I haven't seen Ron this happy in a long time. I don't think he believed he'd ever meet anyone else that would compare to you," she told her.

Hermione sighed. "Well I'm not irreplaceable. Ron deserved to be with someone that could really give him her whole self and her heart. I just wasn't that girl. We didn't have that fire between us," Hermione admitted.

"Fire. Yeah, I know what you mean. You have to have that. Like with Harry? All he does is look at me and I'm a total goner. It's always been that way. He renders me helpless just by walking into the room," Ginny laughed.

"Well that's good. I'm glad you guys have that."

"And the sex? Oh my god. He's really good," Ginny exclaimed.

"Oh god, I don't need to know that. He's my best friend!" Hermione grimaced.

"Well so what? It's true. Your best friend is amazing in bed. And we were both virgins when we got together. You'd think we'd be clueless. But I think he must have watched Muggle porn or something when he was growing up."

"Please stop telling me this. It's weird. And I hardly imagine Harry watching Muggle porn. Eww." She made a face.

"I don't know, but whatever he did, it worked. I hope we get married someday. Whenever my mum asks him when he'll make an honest woman of me, he gets all red faced and strange. You don't think he's afraid do you?" Ginny asked her.

"I don't know. You're really young still. I think he's just waiting," Hermione assured her.

"I don't care if we're young. My parents were eighteen when they married. And look at them? They're blissful. Plus Bill and Fleur? I know he was older, but she was right out of school. I don't see why it wouldn't work."

"Just be patient. I'm sure he'll eventually ask you. He adores you. Trust me on that one," Hermione said with confidence.

"So what about you and Draco? Do I hear wedding bells there?" Ginny asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know. Maybe? The truth is he already asked me," Hermione confided to her.

"What? And you didn't tell me? Where's the ring? Show it to me!" Ginny grabbed her hand and tried to examine it.

Hermione pulled her hand back. "There was no ring. And I told him no. I mean honestly, he was drunk when he said it. He might not even remember. I didn't take him seriously."

"Oh. Well that's disappointing. But surely he meant it. Men don't just blurt that out for no reason. Harry's been drunk loads of times and never asked me."

"I don't know. He hasn't brought it up again. And I'm certainly not going to mention it," Hermione told her.

"Well if he asks you seriously are you still going to tell him no?" Ginny wondered.

She thought for a moment. "If he asks me _seriously_ then I'd say yes I think."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, we already live together. It wouldn't be that much different, would it?"

"But it's forever. I mean I know you say you love him, but do you love him in a forever kind of way? It still wasn't all that long ago that you hated him," Ginny pointed out.

"I know. But it's different. _He's_ different. One day I just looked at him and realized I didn't think I could live without him. Especially after he was hurt saving my life. I saw him lying there so helpless and broken and I just hurt so much. The thought of him not waking up. I would have been beside myself with grief. That's when I knew I'd spend the rest of my life with him. At least if he woke up, that is. Which thankfully, he did," she explained to Ginny.

Ginny thought about her words and tried to absorb them. She still was disappointed that Hermione and Ron weren't going to be together, but what could she really do about it? And Ron had met someone new now too. She knew it was time to put aside her own prejudices and be happy for Hermione. And she was. She genuinely was happy for her. It just pained her that she wouldn't be a part of the Weasley clan someday.

"I guess it's true love then, is it?" Ginny asked her finally.

"I think so. I mean, I thought I loved Ron that way. I really did. I wanted it to work with him. But we'd been through so much together, and most of it as children. We were like brother and sister. Anything else just felt forced," Hermione admitted truthfully.

"I understand. You need that chemistry. It's important if you want the love to last. So does Draco make your knees weak when he walks into the room?" she asked with a sly smile.

Hermione laughed slightly. "Yes, he does. I can't explain it but there's just something very appealing about him. I never thought so in school, but he looks different now. He's not so polished looking. He's more relaxed and his hair is always sort of hanging in his face all tousled looking. When I see him, I just want to bite him or something."

"Oh God, you have it bad! Bite him? Do you actually do that?"

"No! I've never bitten him. I'm not a vampire. But he's just very sexy looking. Edible." Hermione could feel herself blushing slightly when she thought of the way he made her feel.

"I don't see it I guess. I mean, he's okay looking. Definitely not ugly. But I don't like blonde hair for some reason. But at least he doesn't grow it long like his father. Then I'd have to make fun of him. It would be unavoidable."

"I'm glad he doesn't grow it long either. I wonder if he will someday? Do you think he would?" Hermione asked curiously.

Ginny shrugged. "Not if you tell him he can't. You gotta keep a leash on your man. Tell him who's boss. Either that or just threaten to never sleep with him again if he does it."

"You're horrible, you know that? Keep a leash on him? Is that what you do to Harry?"

"Not really. He doesn't need me to do that. He's a good guy. But if he ever steps out of line, believe me he gets an earful from me," Ginny laughed.

"The two of you always seem so happy. It's nice."

"We are happy. You know, when he went away with you and Ron, I worried I'd never see him again. I thought he would die for sure. I cried myself to sleep a lot but no one knew. I had to be strong because I knew he wanted me to keep fighting in his absence. But I missed him so much. You have no idea," Ginny told her.

"It must have been hard. The separation and not knowing if he'd come back alive. I don't envy how you must have felt."

"I believed in him though. I knew if anyone could beat this, he could. He's always been so remarkably brave. I mean he saved my life when he was just a boy. Who could blame me for falling in love with him?" Ginny sighed. "I used to be jealous of you though. I thought for sure you and Harry were fooling around."

"What? Are you crazy? Why would you think that?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Well I didn't think it very long. Just for a bit. I mean it was even printed up in Witch Weekly that you were an item. What was I supposed to think?"

"Yeah I remember the article. It was rubbish. Your mum was angry with me too when she read it. But I promise you that Harry I never fooled around. Not so much as even one single kiss. It was never like that," Hermione insisted.

"Oh I know that now. I've known that for awhile. It's just back then, I wanted to be you so badly. You were always with him. Even if you weren't actually together, I wanted to be a part of that circle. But Harry didn't really think of me like that for awhile. I was just a silly girl in his eyes."

"Yeah, but he soon enough began to see you in a different light. I think I was the first one to notice how he looked at you. He thought he was being all cool and collected but I saw his heart all aflutter when you'd walk in the room," Hermione laughed.

"It was about time! I'd already been with other boys just to make him jealous. But I didn't think it was working."

"Oh it was working. I told you it would. Men always want the one thing they think they can't have. Trust me."

"Really? Is that why Draco wanted you so badly? Because you wouldn't give him the time of day?" Ginny wondered.

"I definitely think that was part of it. I wasn't very welcoming to him when I first ran into him again. I think it drove him to distraction. He would actually follow me around like a lost puppy. It was so pathetic and creepy that I found it kind of endearing in an odd way. I must have anyway because I finally agreed to give him a shot," Hermione told her thoughtfully.

"I think that it's stupid that we have to play games sometimes in order to gain attention from someone we like. We should all just be honest and say what we want."

"Yeah, but that's hard. It's scary to like someone and think you'll be rejected. You know that as well as I do."

"Draco had a lot of fucking guts to confront you and steal you from Ron. I mean, last he knew you hated him and wanted him dead. And yet he pursued you."

"I never wanted him_ dead_. That's being overly dramatic. I just couldn't stand him. But he's persistent. He's not used to not getting what he wants. His parents ruined him that way," Hermione admitted.

"That's one thing about Harry that I like. He doesn't ever expect to be handed anything without working hard for it. His life was so dreadful before he came to Hogwarts. I'm sure he's told you how awful it was. Those ridiculous Muggles he lived with. They were horrid. Harry was abused. Someone should have called the authorities on them, honestly," Ginny said feeling angry at her boyfriends past.

"I know. Harry never talked about the Dursely's much when I first knew him. But eventually he did. And I couldn't really believe he'd grown up that way. So neglected and pushed around. The first time I ever gave him a present he acted like it was the best and weirdest thing he'd ever seen. They never gave him anything. It's too bad he didn't grow up with Sirius. Harry's life would have been so different."

"I know. Sometimes he talks about that. How he wished that things had been different. But you know Harry. He doesn't dwell. He just moves on ahead and says someday we'll have a proper family and our children will know who they are and that they're loved," Ginny said with a smile.

"You guys will have it all someday. Just be patient. Surely you don't wish to be pregnant right now at eighteen."

"No. I don't. But someday I want to have lots of babies. I want little Harry Potters running everywhere. It'll be grand," she smiled widely. "And then you will have little Draco's running around and hopefully our kids won't kill each other," she laughed heartily.

"Can you even imagine? I don't know. Little Draco's. What if I live in a house full of Slytherins? My God, what am I getting myself into?" Hermione laughed as she hid her face behind her hands.

"You never know. You could have a house full of Gryffindor's and then Draco will be outnumbered. That's a good thought."

"Yeah. God, I don't know. I can't even imagine myself with a child right now. Marriage? Yes. But babies? I'm terrified," Hermione admitted.

"I think that's normal. I imagine everyone is terrified until it actually happens to them. But you'll be a good mum someday."

"Thanks. So will you."

"Listen to us. Talking about marriage and children. It's all terribly grown up. We should be talking about makeup or shoes or something," Ginny laughed.

"I don't really care about either of those things," Hermione admitted.

"Me neither. But I was thinking to get my nails done. They look so ragged and ugly. I can't stop biting them. It's a horrible habit."

"I've never had my nails done before. Have you?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, but I hear it's what all the Muggle girls do. They go to salons and are pampered like queens. Doesn't it sound fun? We should do it!"

"Where would we go?"

"I don't know. London. I'm sure they have lots of fancy places. Let's treat ourselves to a day of Muggle manicures," Ginny said gleefully.

"Oh alright. If you insist. I guess it does sound like fun," Hermione admitted.

And they both decided to run off and be normal girls for the rest of the afternoon. Ginny held the same fascination for Muggle things just like her father did. For her it was like entering a new world and there was so much to discover. It gave her a thrill to do things that weren't magical. So she indulged her. She was just happy to have her friend back again. It made her smile inside.

Hermione stood in her bedroom in her underwear staring into the mirror. Draco said he wanted to take her out to a nice meal someplace special, but she had no idea what to wear. She really needed to go shopping. All her clothes were so boring and not at all fancy, except for a few items. But Draco had seen those dresses already. She wanted something new. But she hadn't had time after work to go get anything. She sighed and pulled on her best dress. She hoped it made her look sexy and desirable and not boring and girlish. She wanted to wow Draco with her feminine charms. Although she knew that she didn't actually have to try that hard to wow him. He couldn't resist her even when she was wearing old sweat pants and a ratty t-shirt. He said he always thought she was ravishing. It made her smile. No one else had ever really made her feel that way before. With Ron, he'd seen her at her worst and he still loved her, but he never actually made her feel beautiful when they were together. She just felt like plain old reliable Hermione. Nothing to look at. But Draco felt she was the prettiest girl in every room. He definitely knew how to charm her.

"Are you almost ready? We have reservations," Draco called up the stairs to her.

"I'm just zipping up. I'll be down in a moment," she called back to him.

When she walked down the stairs she found him waiting in one of his best suits. He looked positively gorgeous. She smiled at him.

"Don't you look handsome tonight," she said as she went over and kissed him.

"You look pretty amazing yourself," he smiled at her. "Tonight's going to be wonderful. I have some surprises for you up my sleeve," he told her with a sly grin.

"Surprises? What for? Is it a special occasion?"

"No, I just want to pamper you. You're my queen."

"Oh Draco. I'm no queen," she said waving her hand in the air.

"Stop it. Yes you are. And tonight you'll be treated as such. Now come with me. We don't want to be late," he told her as he took her hand.

They apparated out of there and into a dark alley someplace in London. She wasn't quite sure where yet until they stepped out onto the street. She saw in the distance Buckingham Palace shining brightly before them.

"See that? That's where we should live. A palace," he told her.

She laughed at him. "We're not royalty. I couldn't imagine living there."

"Yeah, but it's fun to dream." He took her hand and led her over to where a limousine was parked. He opened the door and ushered her inside of it.

"Is this for us? A limo?" she asked him curiously.

"No I just stole it from someone," he said with a smirk. "Of course it's for us, silly. That's why were sitting in it."

"Draco, I didn't even know you knew about limousines."

"I'm not completely daft to Muggle culture. I lived as one for nearly a year. This is the only way to travel the Muggle way," he told her.

"Where are we going?"

"We're just going to take a quick trip around the city. Get closer to the palace, see Big Ben. You know, touristy things. I wanted to actually rent a car and drive us myself but I'm afraid I don't have a license nor do I have the slightest clue how to operate an automobile. So I figured this was the next best thing."

"Well it's lovely. I've never been in one of these before. It's very posh. Is this champagne for us to drink?" she asked, holding up a bottle.

"Yes, it's for us. You want me to open it?"

She nodded and handed the bottle over to him. He struggled a bit with the wrapper and then he just pulled out his wand. "Look out, I'm opening this and no telling where the cork will fly to," he told her with a grin.

She covered her eyes and she heard the loud popping sound and then she looked to see champagne flowing all over the place as Draco held the bottle. "Bloody hell! It's fucking spurting out everywhere. Hurry! Get a glass!"

She reached over and got a glass and he filled it up before all of it spilled out in a fountain onto the floor. Then he grabbed another glass for himself. They sat back and sipped the champagne and watched the sights go past the windows as they drove.

"Did you ever want to be a princess when you were a child?" he asked her.

"A princess? I don't know. My mum would read me these stories called fairytales. And there was always a princess and some sort of Prince Charming who would inevitably sweep her off her feet. It was very romantic. My favorite story was Cinderella. Have you heard of it?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't know that one. What's it about?"

"Well it's about this girl who grows up with a wicked stepmother and evil stepsisters. They treat her very poorly. And one day her fairy godmother comes to her and changes her life. She fixes it so that Cinderella will attend this grand ball in a gorgeous gown where the prince himself will be looking for a bride. And of course he falls for her, much to the stepsisters dismay. But she can't tell him who she really is. And the spell that made her dress and her carriage will disappear at midnight. So she must leave him hurriedly before her carriage turns back into a pumpkin. But she leaves her glass slipper behind. It's all the prince has of her. And he goes through the land searching for the woman whose foot the shoe will fit. And of course he eventually finds Cinderella. But she's just a poor servant girl and not fit to be a princess. But he doesn't care. He loves her anyway. And he whisks her away from her old life and they live happily ever after," she explained the story to him.

"I like it. It sounds familiar in some way. I mean, I'm not a prince and you're not a servant girl, but we do come from different worlds. Perhaps I'm here to rescue you?" he said with a smile.

"I don't know if the glass slipper would fit me."

"It would. It does. And if I had met you at a party and you disappeared from me and all I had was your slipper, I'd move the earth to find you again."

"You're very sweet. But it's just a silly story."

"Yeah, but you liked it. And I like it too."

"Were you ever told stories like that as a child? I know that there was a book called Tales of Beedle the Bard. I read it. Did your mum read you that?" she wondered.

"I don't remember. I've seen the book. I've read it myself. But I don't recall my mum ever reading to me as a boy. She would make up stories instead. And they were all about me and how great I'd grow up to be. It's no wonder I had such a big head."

Hermione laughed. "Your mum does think you're quite amazing. She dotes on you."

"She always has. Her and my father wished to have more children, you know. But my mum couldn't. I don't know why. I just know that I was their pride and joy. If I had brothers or sisters maybe I wouldn't have been so spoiled?" he told her with a shrug.

"I don't know. I think your parents would have spoiled all of you," Hermione told him.

"Why don't you have brothers or sisters?" he asked her curiously.

"I don't know. To be honest, I never asked. I guess my parents were content with just one. They were good parents. Very loving. But I got the sense as a child that their work was very important to them. Not that I was ever neglected, mind you. I wasn't. But work came first. I entertained myself a lot as a child. They weren't always around," she admitted quietly.

"Did you have a nanny?"

She nodded. "Yes, I did. Her name was Penelope. I quite loved her. But once I was old enough to be in school my parents let her go. I was really sad about it. I missed her. But they felt I was too old for a nanny. Did you ever have one?"

Draco shook his head. "No, never. My mum didn't trust anyone with me. She was very overprotective. She didn't even like me playing with other children because she feared I'd get hurt or catch some sort of illness. It was ridiculous actually. I entertained myself a lot too when I was young."

"I guess we're not so different then," she smiled.

"No, we're not."

He poured her more champagne and they just sat there together holding hands and taking in the sights. Draco hoped she was enjoying herself. She seemed to be. They finally reached their destination and they got out of the car. It was the Italian restaurant he'd first taken her to.

"Oh I love this place!" she exclaimed happily.

"I know. That's why we're here. I made sure we got a good table too."

He took her hand and pulled her into the restaurant. They were seated in a nice cozy section of the place near a fireplace.

"Can I order the same wine we had before?" she asked him.

"Of course. But I'm not drinking too much of it tonight, love. I want to be clear headed," he told her.

"Why? You love to be drunk," she laughed slightly.

"I know. I do. But just trust me. Tonight I want to have my wits about me."

"Why?"

"Because I want to remember it fully. That's all. But you order it if you want it okay?" he told her with a smile.

"Well if you're not going to drink it with me, then I'm not ordering a whole bottle. I'll just have a glass," she told him.

She had no idea why he wouldn't want to drink because it wasn't like him. They both were known to overindulge in drink whenever they went someplace. But if he wanted to be sober, she wasn't going to complain about it. Maybe they drank too much? That could be it. It was a bad habit to get into. Maybe he was just having an attack of purity for some reason. She didn't know. But she'd be fine with a simple glass.

They ordered their meal and the wine and they held hands over the table like two lovestruck fools. Draco kept staring at her and she started to feel self conscious.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked him curiously.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. You have a goofy smile on your face. It's weird. Are you on drugs?"

He laughed. "No, I'm not on drugs. I'm just happy. Can't a bloke be happy?"

"Yeah, I guess. But you're staring at me funny."

"I'm just noticing how beautiful you are. And thinking how lucky I am you looked my way after all these years."

"Well you didn't give me much choice. Following me around like you did. How was I supposed to ignore you properly when you wouldn't go away?" she asked with a small smirk.

"What can I say? When I see something I want, I go after it."

"And you really wanted _me_?"

"Yes, I did. You were like my holy grail. The one girl in all the world who detested the sight of me, and yet I had to have her. I would have done anything to get your attention," he admitted.

"You're crazy. But I kind of love it. I mean, if you'd walked out of that coffee shop and never came back, I would have just forgotten I'd ever seen you. But you didn't allow that to happen."

He shook his head. "Nope. I didn't even know what I was after at first. I really just wanted to know you. But then I started to want you. You were like a drug to me. I couldn't get enough," he explained to her.

"Well you must have known something I didn't, because I never imagined us together like this. But now, I can't imagine it any other way. You won, Draco. You succeeded in doing the impossible. You melted the Ice Queen."

"You really think you were the Ice Queen?"

She nodded. "Yes, towards you anyway. But in general too. I mean, I wasn't exactly the type of girl who would just fall into bed with any guy who fancied me. It took Ron and I years to even admit we liked each other. And the first time we were together intimately, I thought I was going to die of embarrassment. I didn't want him to see me naked. But then you showed up and suddenly I was throwing my clothes off and falling into bed with you. I was definitely not myself," she told him.

"Rubbish. That was yourself. The person you were with Ron was the phony. I let you be who you really wanted to be. And you did the same for me. We were good for each other," he told her seriously.

"You really think so?"

"Aren't you happier now than you were before? I mean, you ran away from Ron. But yet here you are with me. Standing still. Not going anywhere. That must mean something."

She thought about it for a moment and then she shrugged. "I guess you're right. I does mean something. I'm not scared with you. I feel like I could show you even the darkest parts of myself and you'd still be there. Because you'd understand them. I never really felt that way with anyone else before."

"I do love all of you. The good parts, the bad parts, the crazy parts. I love it all. I don't even mind when you yell at me or threaten to punch me again," he laughed.

"I haven't threatened that in quite a long time. I'm not that bad," she defended herself.

"I know. I'm just teasing. I just want you to know that I see who you are. And I love that person. I always will."

She was touched by his words. They were so heartfelt that she wondered how she ever spent so many years hating him. But it was true that he had not been lovable his whole life. He had been horrible for awhile. But now she knew it was just an act to cover for his own insecurities. That was never who he really was. She may have hated the boy, but she loved the man he'd become.

They finished their dinner and Draco had dismissed the limo for the evening. Their evening in London had come to an end. But it was really just starting. He had a surprise waiting for her at home. But she of course had no idea.

"Let's go dancing," she told him as they stood outside the restaurant.

"Oh love, not that again. You know I hate that," he complained.

"But I like it. It's fun," she pouted.

"I think we should go home. I'll dance with you there. I promise. But we should get going now," he told her.

"Why? The night is still young."

"Yes it is. And I have a surprise for you at home. Just trust me. You'll like it."

"Alright. But you'll dance with me?"

"Yes, I promise. If you want to dance, we'll dance. But let's go home."

She agreed and they went into a convenient alley to disappear. They showed up in front of their house and the entire driveway was lit up with lights like it was Christmas.

"What is this?" she asked him curiously.

"I just had the place fancied up a bit. You like the lights?"

She nodded. "They're beautiful. But it's not Christmas yet."

"They're not Christmas lights, they're just lights. Come on, let's go inside."

He took her hand and drug her along behind him. They opened the front door and the entire front room was decorated with roses and candles and twinkling lights hanging from the ceiling. There was a tray of cheese and crackers lying on the table and a bottle of wine that was unopened.

"What is all of this, Draco? It looks amazing in here. Who did this?" she asked him with wonder.

"I had a little help. I hope you don't mind, but Tippy sort of did all of this for me."

"Tippy? Your parents elf? She put this together?"

He nodded. "Don't worry, I gave her five knuts for it. She had no idea what to make of that. She actually thought it was food and almost ate the coins. But I set her straight. I knew you'd approve at least."

She laughed. "You gave her money? That's sweet of you."

He shrugged. "I didn't want you mad at me for abusing elvish welfare or whatever it is your on about."

"It was very thoughtful of you. But what is all this for? It's spectacular."

"I wanted the evening to be special for you. And I wanted to show you how much I love you. And I wanted to do it all right," he told her seriously.

"Do what all right?" She was confused.

He took her and led her over to the sofa. He got down on his knees and pulled out the ring box from his pocket. He opened it up to show her.

"I love you Hermione. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I promise to treat you always as my queen. I want you to marry me. For real this time. Marry me please and make me the happiest man in the world. Be my Cinderella," he told her nervously, but with a smile on his face.

She stood there looking at him, utterly speechless. He had a ring. He was on his knees. And the whole house was decorated like a flower garden with candles everywhere. It was like a paradise. It was a dream. It was the fairytale she'd always wanted.

"Draco, my god. I'm speechless," she muttered softly.

"Well find your words, love. Don't leave me hanging," he said somewhat desperately.

"Yes! The answer is yes. Of course I'll marry you. I love you," she proclaimed to him happily.

He stood up and kissed her and didn't want to stop. But he did so long enough to take her hand. He slipped the ring on her finger.

"It's gorgeous. I mean, utterly beautiful. I don't even know what to say," she told him holding the ring out in front of her.

"You already said the only thing I needed to hear. Yes. If you'd said no this time, I don't know what I'd do. I'd have to hire a skywriter or something just to show you how serious I was."

She laughed. "No, no, this was quite perfect. All of it was. And you didn't drink so I couldn't claim you were foolishly drunk and didn't know what you were saying! That's why you wouldn't have the wine," she said, suddenly getting it.

"I didn't want to be drunk again. I knew you'd use it against me. But I meant it before, and I mean it now. I want you to be my wife," he smiled widely at her.

"You really surprised me. I mean, I thought you were talking rubbish before. I never expected this. It's perfect. You're perfect. And I love you so much." She kissed him hungrily and ran her hands through his hair.

They stood there kissing for a bit until they finally got control of themselves and pulled back. Hermione just looked at him and saw how happy he was that she'd said yes. His smile said it all.

"I really wanted to surprise you. I've been planning it for some time. I even went so far as to ask your father for permission before I did this," he told her.

"You asked my father? He knows about this?" She was shocked.

He nodded. "I suppose he probably told your mum as well. But I don't know for sure. But I did it right and proper so you'd know I really meant it."

"I believe you. I mean this ring alone says you mean it. It's amazing. I'm still a little speechless. My heart is racing. I can't believe this is happening," she told him with a giddy laugh.

He pulled her towards him and held her as he looked into her eyes. "No one has ever meant more to me than you do. And I will spend the rest of my days showing you that. You've made me a better man. Everything I have today and everything I am today, is all because of you," he told her sincerely.

"Oh Draco, you give me too much credit. You changed all on your own. I just saw the real you and fell in love with that person. You were already changed when we met up again. I just believed in you."

He smoothed her hair back away from her face. "You have no idea what you did for me. I was broken when we found each other. And you fixed me."

"I think maybe we fixed each other," she whispered.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she told him with a smile.

They ended up kissing again and soon got lost in each other. It was easy to do. They just wanted to be together and as close as possible. It wasn't long before they headed upstairs and fell into bed. The bedroom had been laid out with candles and flowers as well. And they made the most of it until they were both so tired they could barely move. Hermione laid on her back just holding her hand up to stare at the ring.

"You like it, love?" Draco asked as he rolled over to face her.

"I love it. It's exactly what I would pick if I had the choice. You know me very well," she told him.

"Well I had a little help to be honest. I wasn't entirely sure what sort of ring you'd like," Draco admitted.

She rolled over to face him. "Help from who?"

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you," he chuckled.

"No really, tell me who helped you. I'm curious."

"I may have asked Harry for his opinion," Draco admitted quietly.

"Harry? You asked Harry?"

"I didn't know who else to ask. I had two rings. I couldn't decide. So I went to his place and showed him and he picked this one. I hope that doesn't make it less special that I had help. I mean, I did pick it out. I just wasn't sure if you'd like another one better."

"No it's still special. Believe me. But I can't believe you asked Harry. Was he horrified that you were going to propose?" Hermione wondered.

"No he wasn't horrified. He was happy for us. I know it sounds weird but we're sort of friends now. I don't know how it happened."

"You guys are friends? Like actual buddies?" she asked disbelieving.

"Well let's not blow it out of proportion. It's not like we're best mates who share everything together. But we get on okay now. I think he finally forgave me for the past. He actually said he likes me."

"He likes you? Are you sure this was Harry and not someone using Polyjuice potion?"

Draco laughed. "I'm sure it was him. Trust me. I know it's fucking weird, isn't it? But you're not the only one who can see who I really am. Potter isn't such a wanker after all. Who knew?"

"Well I knew he wasn't a wanker. But you never believed me. I'm just in shock you two actually buried the hatchet. And you consulted him about my ring and he didn't have a fit. It's very odd but also quite pleasing," she admitted. Not too long ago, this would be unheard of. But there were still a few people left who might object to their engagement. "Did you tell your parents about this?" she wondered.

"My parents? No. They haven't a clue. Although I've as much told my father this was my plan. I just never actually told him how serious I was or when it would happen."

"They're going to freak out, aren't they? I mean, I know they've been nice to me. And we get on okay. But I'm still not who they envisioned you marrying. I'm still a mudblood."

He put his finger to her lips. "Shh. Stop saying that word. I don't like it anymore. You know that. That's not what you are to me."

"I know. But that's what your parents think I am. I'm sure your father has no qualms using the word, even if he's never said it to me. They won't be pleased."

"Does it look like I care?" he asked pointedly. Then he sighed. "Besides, I don't think it's going to be as big of a deal as you suppose. I've pretty much prepared them for this already. And they actually do like you. It's going to be alright."

"You really think they like me?"

"I'm sure of it."

"Then why did your father still try and get you to meet Astoria at that party? Don't tell me he wasn't hoping you'd be bowled over and just simply leave me in the dust," Hermione told him.

"That's not true. He just wanted me to meet her, that's all. He knew I'd never go for her. He was just being his usual self and trying to meddle. But I nipped that one in the bud. Harry tells me that Astoria and Ron have hit it off. Problem solved right there. She's no longer available for me to marry."

"I still think they'll have heart attacks or possibly faint. You never know."

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you said yes. And if we have to, we'll just elope somewhere. Maybe we'll fly to Las Vegas? I've never been to America," he mused.

"Las Vegas? I don't think so! I want a good wedding. Not some sort of circus where an Elvis impersonator does the ceremony," she told him seriously.

"Who's Elvis?" he wondered.

"You don't know who Elvis Presley is?"

"No. Is he famous?"

"Very much so. Except he's dead now. He's been dead for awhile. But my mum loved his music. He's a singer from like the 60's or something."

"Oh you mean like the Beatles? Now them I've heard of. Could we be married by one of them instead?" he asked.

She giggled over that and shook her head. "They don't marry people. And John Lennon is dead too. He was my favorite Beatle."

"Yeah, yeah, I know of him. He was the weird one who used to pose naked with his ugly girlfriend right?"

"Yes, that's him. How do you know about that?"

"I read about him. Plus I bought something called records at an old thrift shop in London. It took me forever to figure out how to play them and make the music come out of them. I had to go back to the shop and ask them how to work these strange discs. Turns out you need a record player. I had no idea. And apparently they're very outdated for Muggle artifacts."

"Yeah, people don't listen to records anymore usually. They use CD's. Or Mp3's."

"What the hell is an MP3? It sounds like a Muggle weapon like an AK47."

She started laughing again. He was so cute. She loved how clueless he was about Muggle life.

"MP3's are digital music. You put it on your computer."

"Interesting. You learn something new every day."

"You are absolutely adorable when you don't know what something is. It's like watching a newborn see the world for the first time," she told him giving him a kiss.

"I can't help it. I didn't grow up around this stuff. And I learned a lot when I lived in London, but not everything. It took me forever to figure out how to operate my coffee maker. The first time I tried it, I swore I followed the directions. But I'd bought instant coffee so I was really confused where the coffee grounds went. They just disappeared. I was baffled."

"Oh I love it. I'll have to keep teaching you Muggle things. You'll enjoy it."

"I'll enjoy anything as long as I have you for my teacher," he smiled at her.

And then he kissed her again and they soon got carried away. Neither one of them could be any happier than they were right at this moment. They had everything. And now they were going to get married. Life didn't get much better than that. Hermione was about to get her fairytale after all.

**To be continued…I would love to hear some feedback on how you feel about the story! I've got one chapter and an epilogue left to go. It's been a fun ride and I hope that all you Dramione shippers have enjoyed this. Thanks for all the favorites and followers!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

Hermione couldn't wait to tell her friends the good news. She wasn't really worried about Harry and Ginny's reaction anymore since things had changed so drastically there. Harry had even helped pick out the ring. So it wasn't going to come as much of a shock to him. But she was still eager to share her good news. With Ron, it was less certain. She knew she had to tell him or someone else would. And she felt it should come from her. She owed him that much. And she had no idea what he was going to think of it all. She knew he'd met someone now and was more happy than he was before. And hopefully not still stuck on her. But she was sure it would sting a little to know she'd accepted Draco's proposal when she always panicked at the thought of marrying him. But she couldn't help it. She only panicked because she knew it was the wrong choice with him. But this with Draco, felt right. She decided he should be the first to know before Ginny or Harry inadvertently blabbed it to him. So she went to his house in hopes he would be there. It was still a little early and the shop didn't open up yet. She knocked on the door and waited. Unfortunately it was Molly who answered the door. She looked shocked to see Hermione and seemed at a loss for words.

"Hermione. What are you doing here? You've come to see Ron?" she asked finally.

"Yes, I wanted to speak to him about something. Is he still here?"

"Yeah, he's still here. He's finishing up breakfast. Have you come to patch things up?" Molly asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid not. I'm sorry."

"Oh. Well he's in the kitchen. Feel free to go in," Molly said with disappointment in her voice.

Hermione walked through the house until she found Ron at the table by himself. He was reading the paper and shoveling food in his mouth.

"Hello," Hermione said quietly, trying not to startle him.

He looked up and was surprised to see her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her curiously.

"I just wanted to talk to you about something. Is this a bad time?"

"No, no. I was just done anyway. Is everything alright? You look kind of weird," he noted.

"I'm just nervous, that's all. I have something to tell you and I don't really know how you'll react," she admitted.

"This sounds serious. Why don't you sit down." He motioned for her to pull a chair up at the table.

She walked over and sat down across from him.

"So I've been hearing that you and Astoria hit it off. Is that true?" she wondered.

Ron nodded. "Yeah it's true. She's a pretty amazing girl. And so beautiful. I don't know why she likes me, but I'm not going to question it."

"I'm sure she likes you because you're a great person. You deserve someone amazing in your life," she said sincerely.

"Yeah? Well thanks. I had someone amazing in my life once, but I wasn't special enough to keep her," he said quietly.

"Ron, please don't say that. It's not true. It's not about you not being special enough. I think the world of you," she told him.

"But it wasn't enough. I couldn't keep hold of you. And I don't know if I have what it takes to keep hold of Astoria either. I mean, she's really well to do and I'm just me. I'm not sure why she really likes me."

"Don't question it. She seems lovely. And if she likes you, you should just enjoy it. Don't let what happened with us make you feel inferior."

"It's kind of hard not to. But she said she thought Draco seemed boring. That kind of made my day," he laughed slightly.

"Well he's not boring, but it's good she thinks so."

"I thought so. I mean, I'm sure he's not funny like me. He never seemed funny. I can make her laugh."

"You're good at that. So just go with it. I have a good feeling it will work out well for you."

"So why are you here? To talk about Astoria?"

"No. I actually had something I wanted to tell you. Something important. Something I wanted you to hear from me and no one else."

"Let me guess? You're pregnant?" he asked with derisive tone.

"No. I'm not pregnant. Thank god. No, I'm getting married," she told him quickly.

He just stared at her for a minute and said nothing. Then he finally shook his head and laughed.

"Married? You're _marrying_ him? Are you crazy? His family is going to have a field day with that bit of news. Good luck there," he told her.

"Let me worry about that. I'm more worried about you. Are you alright knowing this?"

"Honestly? Not really. I mean, whenever I brought up getting married you'd freak out. Why is he so different? Why would you marry him and not me?"

She sighed. "Because. It's different. I don't know. I just love him. And I want to be with him. It feels right. It never felt right with you because I didn't love you the right way," she explained.

"Yeah I know. You've told me. I was like your brother. But it never felt like that to me. I really thought we'd make it."

"I know. And I'm sorry it didn't happen that way. But you're my friend. I will always care for you. And I'd like you to approve of my choice. But it might be too much to ask."

"I'm never going to like him, you realize. I can get along with him and I do owe him for throwing Astoria my direction. I can see he's not a bad guy anymore. But just don't ask me to actually like him."

"I won't. You don't have to like him. I just need you to be okay with this. And to maybe be happy for me? If possible," she said quietly.

He thought for a moment, then he let out a deep breath. "Happy for you eh? That's what you want? Alright, I'm happy for you. If he makes you happy, then who am I to stand in the way of it?"

"Thank you."

"Well show me the ring he got you. I'm sure it's huge and cost a fortune."

She laughed slightly and showed him her finger. "It's not huge, it's tasteful. It's perfect really," she told him.

He examined it and then he shrugged. "I guess it's nice. Better than I could give you, anyway."

"You would have given me something just as lovely. I know that. But it wasn't meant to be."

"No, I guess it wasn't. Well I hope you'll be happy."

"Do you really mean it?"

"Yes, I really mean it. I'll even come to the wedding and not hex the groom. I'll be good. That is if I'm to be invited at all," he added.

"Of course you'll be invited! Don't be silly. I want you there. I just didn't know if you'd want to come or not."

"I'll come. I mean you are one of my oldest and dearest friends. Nothings gonna change that."

She leaned over and hugged him tightly. Then she pulled away. "I am really sorry we didn't work out, but I do wish for you the same kind of happiness I've found."

"Thanks. We'll see. But I'm glad you're getting what you want. You deserve to be happy."

"So do you."

"Right, well, I better get off to work. The store won't run itself," he told her as he stood up.

She stood up too and didn't know what else to say. It was clear he wasn't exactly jumping for joy over her news, but he was pleasant enough. What more could she expect?

"I guess I'll see you around then?" she asked tentatively.

"Yeah, I'm sure you will. Good luck to you. Congratulations."

She decided to show herself out but she ran into Molly on the way to the door.

"I'm sorry. I tried not to eavesdrop but I couldn't help it. You're getting married? To that other fellow that Ron doesn't like?" she asked Hermione.

"Yes, I am. I wanted to tell Ron myself before he heard from anyone else."

"Oh my. Married huh? And not to my Ron. I so hoped you'd come back one day."

"I'm sorry. You know I think the world of him. And of all of you. I would have been proud to be a part of the family. Life just didn't work out that way."

"I understand. I was really upset at you for a long time, but Arthur told me that I needed to let it go. He said you and Ron were young and that not every couple who meets in school gets married. He said I shouldn't be so surprised. But then here you are about to be married to someone else. It's a bit much to take."

"I hope you'll eventually forgive me. I had to follow my heart. And unfortunately it led me away from Ron."

"I know. I'll get over it. Ron did say he was seeing a new girl now. She sounds great. I can't wait to meet her."

"I'm sure you'll love her too. I really should go now," she told Molly, feeling too uncomfortable to stay longer.

"Right then. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"And don't be a stranger now. You're still welcome here whenever you want."

"I'll keep that in mind. I will see you later."

And with that, Hermione departed the house. The house she spent so much time at during her youth. The house she once thought she would live in herself. But that was all the past. She was moving towards her future now. And it looked to be a rosy one. She was quite giddy with excitement.

Draco and Hermione decided to go together to see Harry and Ginny. He had given her, her space and privacy to talk to Ron. He knew he wasn't welcome at the Burrow, no matter how much Ron had cooled down about him. He wasn't about to intrude on their living space and begin waving his victory over Ron right in his face. He had more manners than that. And he knew he was still one of the last people Ron ever wanted keep company with. But Hermione said it had gone over alright. There were no tears of joy shed, but he accepted her news like a civilized person at least. There were no threats or screaming or crying. She said it went rather well. Now they just had to tell her other friends. But that was an easy one. Harry already knew it was coming, he just didn't know when. But Draco felt comfortable with Harry now so he wasn't worried at all to show up with Hermione unannounced with their news.

When Harry opened the door, he already started smiling.

"Come in you guys. What are you doing here?" he asked curiously, but he already had an idea.

"We have some big news. Although I think you might already know," Hermione told him with a smile.

"I'm pretty sure I do know, but tell me anyway."

"Well Draco and I are getting married," she announced, showing him her hand.

He took it and looked at the ring. "It's spectacular. Congratulations!" He hugged her

"I know you helped pick out the ring. Draco told me."

"He did? Yes, well, he sort of needed some help. Did I make a good choice?" Harry wondered.

"The perfect choice. I love it."

"Good. I'm glad. Let me go get Ginny. She's upstairs still. She'll want to hear this. I didn't tell her anything so she'll be surprised."

Ginny came down a few minutes later and wasn't expecting to see them there.

"What's up you guys? Harry told me to come down because you were here."

"Ginny, Draco and I have some good news," Hermione smiled at her.

"Oh my God. I knew it would happen! You're getting married, aren't you?" she exclaimed.

"Yes!" Hermione shoved the ring in her face and Ginny squealed with excitement.

"Oh it's wonderful. This is so exciting. You guys are the first of the gang to do this. You're like pioneers! Please tell me it will be a big wedding. And that I'm in it. I don't need to be maid of honor, but I kind of expect to be, so let me know now if I'm going to be disappointed."

"Slow down. We have barely even announced the engagement. I haven't planned the wedding yet! But of course you'll be my maid of honor, if you want to be," Hermione told her.

"Of course!" She hugged Hermione tightly. And then she looked at Draco. She went over and hugged him too. "You better be good to her or else you'll have me to deal with," she whispered in his ear.

"I'll be good. I promise. You're a little scary, you know that?" Draco told her as they pulled out of their hug.

"I've been told I'm a little intense. I don't mean to be. But I'm like a mother hen. I'm protective of my people."

"Well that's good. You should be. But you have nothing to worry about," Draco assured her.

"I can't believe you went through with it," Harry said to Draco with a smile.

"Did you think I spent all that money on rings just to back out? You should have known I was serious."

"I know. But my God. You're getting married! That's huge. But you both look happy."

Hermione took Draco's arm and held it. "We are happy. And so excited. This is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I can't stop smiling!"

Harry looked at Draco. "I know I don't have to tell you because Ginny already did, but you better treat her right. You know she's got an army of people who are ready to attack in her honor."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. But what if she treats me poorly? Who will defend me?" Draco wondered.

"I would never treat you poorly," Hermione assured him.

"I know. But what if you become some evil hag who orders me around and hexes me whenever I don't do what you like. I could end up like a bloody house elf and no one would come to my rescue," Draco said playfully.

"If Hermione makes you wear an old pillowcase and starts beating you up, I'll rescue you," Harry said with a laugh.

"Good. It's nice to see someone cares at least."

"As if I'd ever do that!" Hermione shoved him in a joking manner.

"I think the two of you will be good to each other. I'm not worried. No one is gonna need rescuing," Harry said confidently.

"We both might need rescuing tonight," Draco told him. "We still have to tell my parents."

"Ugh. Oh they are gonna love this. I wish I could be there to see their reactions," Harry said trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, it might not be pretty. But I have no idea. I kind of already prepped them for this possibility so it might not be too bad. Keep your fingers crossed for us."

"Will do. I'm really happy for you both. It's exciting news." Harry told them sincerely.

There was a time he never would have welcomed Draco into his fold, but so much had changed. It was definitely time to move past old grudges and look towards the future. He was just happy that Hermione finally found what she was looking for. And he'd never begrudge her that happiness. Especially when he saw for himself just how excited she was by this latest news in her life. Sure, Harry still thought wistfully on the days when he assumed he'd be congratulating Ron and Hermione on their engagement, but times change. So his two best friends wouldn't live happily ever after. That was life, he supposed. But that didn't mean he was losing anything. He still had them in his life. And now he had Draco in his life too. Not his first choice, for sure. But he had grown on him over the past months. And he realized that someday they might actually forget that they were bitter enemies for so long. It was possible. Anything seemed possible at this moment.

Draco had informed his parents that Hermione and he would like to have dinner with them. He didn't give any other information away because he didn't want them guessing there was big news and then immediately start ambushing them. He wanted time to ease them into the idea. At least as much as he could. He told Hermione to try and keep her hand in her pocket if at all possible, so they wouldn't see the ring right away. They were both insanely nervous about this meeting. Neither one of them was sure how it would go. It could be a non event or it could cause the blow out of the century. Either way, it wouldn't sway Draco's opinion that he was doing the right thing and making the right choice for his life. His parents would either have to be happy for him, or risk alienating him forever. And then they could say goodbye to visits with the grandkids too. And he highly doubted they'd respond well to that sort of threat. But he hoped he wouldn't need the crowd pleasing threats and swagger routine this evening. He just wanted it to go smoothly.

They stood in front of the gates of the Manor holding hands. He looked over at her.

"Are you ready for this, love?" he asked her.

"I don't know. I think I am. I mean they do seem to like me a little. Your father lets me call him Lucius, even though I've only done it twice because it's too weird. But I feel okay about it. What about you?"

"I'm ready. It's now or never. If my father pulls out his wand though, feel free to shoot some curses his way. I won't stop you," he said with a small smile.

"Oh stop. It won't come to that, will it?"

"No, I doubt it. But just be prepared for anything."

They went through the gates and up to the front door. They entered the foyer and he called out to his parents to let them know they'd arrived. His mother came out to greet them. She gave them both hugs and kisses.

"It's so lovely to have two over. I'm pleased you're here. Lucius is just in the study. Come along." She led them to the study and they found Lucius in his usual spot. Glass of brandy in one hand, his cane in the other. He looked rather like a king sitting on a throne. Or at least that's what he wished he was.

"Draco, Hermione. You're here. Do help yourselves to a drink if you'd like. Dinner will be ready shortly, I'm told," Lucius greeted them.

Draco went over and poured two glasses of brandy for the two of them and they both sat down on a sofa together and tried to relax their nerves.

"So what do we owe the honor of your presence tonight? We haven't seen you two in several weeks," Narcissa said.

"We just felt it was high time to stop by for a visit. I know how cranky you get when I don't come round often enough. But we've both been very busy at work."

"Yes, work. How is that going now? Better?" his mother wondered.

Draco nodded. "It's much better. I wouldn't call myself King of the Castle or anything, but people will speak to me now. And I feel much more welcomed."

"That's good to hear. Isn't it good, Lucius?"

"Yes, quite. I'm pleased our little shindig had the desired effect for you. I must say I rather enjoyed myself that evening as well. I made a few new business contacts."

"That's good news. See, I told you the party would be good for our image. Did you see the picture of us in the paper after?" Draco asked.

"Yes, I did. I haven't made the front page in quite some time. And this time I didn't even do anything bad. It was rather nice."

"Yeah it was good to see a proper picture and not your mugshot, Father."

"Oh Draco, do be quiet. I don't need to be reminded that they printed that up in the papers. Thankfully I did not see that one."

"Well you were sort of in prison so I imagine they don't give you the paper there."

"Let's not start talking about bad memories, shall we? Let's move on to something more pleasant," Narcissa interjected.

"Right. Sorry Mum. I didn't mean to go there. Tonight is a happy night. I want all of us to be in good spirits," Draco smiled, forgetting his momentary bitterness towards his father. Sometimes it just crept in, even when he didn't want it to.

"So what are we having for dinner?" Hermione asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I believe we're having a roast of lamb with new potatoes. It smelled quite good when I was in the kitchen earlier," Narcissa told her.

"Sounds delicious."

Things always felt so awkward when all of them were together. Hermione just couldn't relax and Draco always seemed to put his foot in his mouth and anger his father. She really wanted to just get this over with, but Draco wanted to tell them their news over dinner. So they waited and finally it was time to go to the table. They ate in silence for the most part, except for everyone talking about how lovely the meal was. But finally halfway through, Draco spoke up.

"Hermione and I actually have some news to tell you," he announced bravely.

"News? What sort of news?" Lucius asked suspiciously.

"Well it's good news. At least I hope it will be. But Hermione and I are getting married," he told them quickly, and awaited their reaction.

It was silent for far longer than Draco and Hermione could stand. His parents just sort of looked at them and then at each other and no one said a word. Finally his mother spoke up.

"You're getting married? For real? This isn't a joke?" she asked them.

"No Mother, it's not a joke. We're actually getting married," he told her. "Show her the ring," he said to Hermione.

She pulled her hand out from under the table and held it up to show them.

"Well I don't know what to say. The ring looks lovely. But Draco, are you sure this is the right time to get married?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I've never been more sure." Then he looked at his father. "You've not said anything, Father. Are you cross with me or are you just mute this evening?"

"I'm not mute. Or cross. I'm simply surprised is all. Marriage. I mean, I knew you said you were serious about this girl, but you told me before you did not wish to marry this young. What happened?" Lucius asked him.

"I changed my mind. I met the right person and suddenly it didn't seem so scary or far fetched. I only told you I didn't want to marry this young because I didn't wish to marry the girl you picked for me."

"I see. Well this is certainly interesting to say the least."

"I think it's wonderful," Draco's mother smiled. "Welcome to our family, Hermione."

"Thank you. I hoped you two would be pleased and not disappointed about it," she said softly.

"Disappointed? Of course not. You're a wonderful girl. Draco is lucky to have you."

"You do realize Draco that you're upsetting the balance of this family. You know how I feel about keeping the blood pure. And now you're to marry this girl whose parents are Muggles? I don't know what you want me to say."

"I want you to be happy for me. You know I could care less about bloodlines. I already told you that. But if you don't like it, then you don't have to be a part of my life. And someday our children will at least have one set of grandparents who accept them and love them."

"Lucius, I told you that this would happen. Don't act so shocked. I thought it would be awhile from now, but you knew how Draco felt. And I will not have you alienate our son or our future grandchildren," Narcissa told him heatedly.

Lucius grumbled something under his breath that no one understood, then he sighed. "Fine. I'm very happy for you, Draco. If this is whom you wish to marry, then I'll not stop you."

"I'm sorry you don't like me," Hermione told him somewhat sadly. She was angry at his old fashioned values, but she was also saddened that it mattered so much to him.

"I _do_ like you. Don't be silly. You're a fine girl. You just have to understand that I'm a traditional man. No Malfoy has ever married a Muggleborn. It's unheard of."

"My sister married a Muggleborn," Narcissa piped up.

"Yes I know. And your entire family disowned her."

"I realize that, but I've been seeing her now. I don't see the point in shunning my own sister over some stupid old tradition."

"You've been seeing your sister?"

"Yes."

"When? And why didn't you tell me?" Lucius asked.

"Because it was none of your business. I decided to make nice with her again, and she was amazingly forgiving. I thought she would throw me off her property, but she didn't."

"I honestly don't know what to say. I had no idea you were in contact with her again."

"What difference does it make to you anyway? I'm tired of the old ways. And Draco should be allowed to marry who he wishes to marry. It shouldn't be our choice."

"I already said I was fine with it. Did you not hear me say it?" Lucius asked somewhat angrily.

"Yes, but you weren't sincere," Narcissa protested. She pointed at Hermione. "This girl has made Draco happier than I've ever seen him. You can't deny that. They're in love. We should be happy for them and embrace them."

Lucius knew he was fighting a losing battle. He'd known it for a long time. Ever since Draco left home after the war. The boy was beyond his control now. He had been for longer than he'd care to admit. He was his own man. And he made his own choices. And Lucius knew there was no stopping this from happening. He had no choice but to let go of his prejudices and traditions. If his father were alive, he would urge Lucius to disown Draco. But luckily he was not alive. And Lucius could do what he wished with his own son. Draco had been right before. Who was he really trying to impress anymore? It didn't really matter.

He stood up from the table and walked over to Hermione. He took her hand and inspected the ring closely. Then he smiled at her.

"It's a beautiful ring for a beautiful girl. My Draco is one lucky man. And I'm being sincere. My wife and I both would love to have you be a part of the family," he told her finally.

Hermione could feel tears in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

"Thank you. It means a lot to me that you approve," she told him.

"Yes, it means a lot to both of us," Draco said, putting his arm around Hermione.

"Well if there is to be a wedding in our future, we'd better start planning soon. I'll make sure it's the absolute best wedding ever. The wedding of the year," Lucius announced.

"Calm down a little. We haven't even set a date yet," Draco told him.

"Well get down to it. These things take time to plan properly. And I know your mother is probably very eager to get started."

"Oh I am. It's going to be grand. You'll have the ceremony here at the Manor, won't you?" she asked.

"Uh, I don't know. We haven't thought about it," Draco admitted.

"Well you will. I insist on it. And I'll do everything. You two don't even need to think about it."

"Mum, I think Hermione would like to plan her own wedding. She is the bride after all. You can't just take over."

"It's alright. You can help me a lot. I have no idea about weddings. We'll plan it together maybe?" Hermione offered.

"Okay. I won't go crazy then. I'll let you plan your own affair. But do please let me help. I love weddings."

Hermione agreed to let her help and Lucius sat back quietly and let them talk about it. He just looked at Draco over the table and smiled at him. He might not have agreed with the choices his son made, but he was proud. How could he not be? His son had grown up to be a better man than he himself ever was or will ever be. He knew that. He used to want Draco to be just like him and groomed him accordingly. But that had been a mistake. He wasn't doing his son any real favors by turning him into a snob with a chip on his shoulder the size of Mount Everest. He was much better off without his influence over him. It pained Lucius to realize that. That he'd done it all wrong for all those years. But he only did what he knew. Times were different now. And he just had to accept that. Not even his own wife shared his views anymore. He was the lone dissenter. But he gave up. His son was happy. And Hermione, Muggleborn that she was, was actually a very pleasant and beautiful girl. He couldn't deny it. Now was the time he had to choose to embrace it.

When Draco and Hermione got home they were both relieved to be away from his parents. They had been so worried about their reaction, but then it just became overwhelming the amount of advice and planning they wanted to do immediately. They needed some breathing room. But it had gone much better than expected. When they laid in bed that night, Hermione snuggled up to Draco.

"Do you really think your father approves of me?" she wondered.

Draco nodded. "Yes. I do. But he's stubborn. He just needed a little kick in the head to get with the program."

"Your mum seems to like me quite a bit. She's so excited for this wedding."

"I know. You'd think it was her own wedding she was planning," Draco laughed.

"We're making the right choice, aren't we? This is all going to work out well for us?"

"Of course. I promise you. We're going to have a great life. You'll see."

And she really believed him. How could it not be a great life? They had each other. Two people who never thought they'd ever share company at all ended up falling in love. It made no sense but it still happened. Sometimes that was what was so good about life. The surprises. Just when you think you have it all figured out, something happens to change the entire course of your life. A year ago, Hermione had been unhappy and lost and living by herself in a lonely apartment, involved with a man she couldn't see a future with. And now she had everything she ever wanted. And she found it in the most unlikely of places. Draco Malfoy. The boy she hated once had now become her life. It was hard to remember back when they'd been kids and enemies. It was almost like they were two different people now and those children were someone else. All Hermione knew was that she was where she belonged. She felt it in her heart. And she didn't regret a single thing.

**Please leave feedback! Just the epilogue left to go. I hope you're enjoying the story.**


	17. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story and make no money from this work. It's just my fantasies I'm compelled to write. I owe it all to JK Rowling for creating such compelling characters for me to play with.**

**Five years later….**

Draco and Hermione were getting ready to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. They'd decided to spend it with friends because everyone wanted it to be a party. So they were busily getting ready for a rare night out on the town. Their son Scorpius had been born nearly a year ago and he kept them quite busy. He was a curious baby who got his nose into trouble quite a lot. He was always crawling all over the place so fast that Hermione and Draco couldn't keep up. One of his favorite things to do was to try and squash the cat with his overzealous hugs. Crookshanks was a good sport though, even in his old age. He never bit or scratched Scorpius. He merely tolerated his affections until someone rescued him. Right now Scorpius was busy on floor of their bedroom ripping apart a magazine while his parents got dressed.

"I hope you didn't want to read that magazine later because it's destroyed now," Draco said as he looked down at his son.

"Oh it was an old one. I let him have at it. It keeps him busy," Hermione assured him. "When will your parents be here?"

"Soon. I told them to come at six. Knowing them, they'll be here any minute so you better hurry up."

"I will."

She finished pulling on her dress and let Draco zip her up. She scooped up the baby and gave him a big kiss. He was chubby cheeked and blonde like his father. He had his father's eyes too. He was the spitting image of Draco as a baby. Hermione had seen the photos. He was an adorable little boy and they were so excited to be parents. They had waited a little while to start their family because they wanted time alone as a couple to build their relationship. But after awhile, they'd decided it was time to try for a family. They were ready. And it had been the most rewarding experience of their life. They were both scared to death at first and worried they'd be horrible parents. But so far they had managed to raise a very happy baby. Hermione took him down the stairs with her, and Draco followed behind. She put him down in his playpen and he was content to play with his toys in there.

Draco grabbed Hermione and pulled her into an embrace. "You look stunning tonight," he told her.

"You do too," she told him as she leaned up to kiss him.

They still had a deep passion for each other and the spark had not faded a bit. But now they had less time to together than they did before they were parents. But they still tried to steal moments whenever they could. Their kissing session was interrupted when Draco's parents barged in the front door.

"Oh honestly, do you two ever stop pawing at each other?" Narcissa laughed as she walked into the room.

"Mother don't you and Father ever knock like normal people? You don't just barge into someone's house," Draco said with a sigh.

"Oh please. We're family. Who knocks? Now where is that precious baby?" she asked them scanning the room.

"He's right over there in the playpen," Hermione pointed.

Narcissa scooped him up and began kissing him all over and making baby talk sounds to him. She was a very hands on grandmother. But Hermione was used to it by now. She liked seeing them together. And it was even better when she saw Draco's father with him. It had been hard to imagine Lucius holding a baby. But he did it all the time. Although at first he was very hesitant and said he was afraid he'd drop him. But he got over that fear.

"Let me see my grandson," Lucius said walking over to his wife. "What is he wearing?"

"He's wearing a sleeper," Hermione told him.

"You didn't dress him up for the special occasion?"

"No. I hardly think he knows it's a special occasion. Did you want him in a tiny little suit?" Hermione laughed.

"Well it wouldn't hurt. He'd look perfect."

"Father he's fine as he is. Why dress him up special when we're leaving anyway? Besides he'll only get the outfit dirty anyway," Draco told him.

"Fine, fine. Don't listen to me," he said with a sigh. "Here, let me take him for a minute," he told his wife. She reluctantly handed over the baby and Lucius held him gently. "You are a perfect little creature. Just like my Draco. You are going to be a fine wizard someday."

Hermione and Draco just smiled at him. It was still so strange seeing Lucius be gentle and kind.

"Well we need to be going now. Are you sure you guys are alright here with Scorpius?" Draco asked.

"Of course. We've watched him many times before and we've never damaged him. Stop being so overprotective," his mother told him.

"Alright, alright. I just want you to make sure he doesn't get into anything. He's quick. Don't let him out of your sight."

"Just go already. Enjoy your evening. We'll be fine," Lucius said, still rocking the baby back and forth.

Hermione and Draco departed the house, knowing that their son was in good hands. They both just worried when he was out of their sight. Draco especially. He'd inherited his mother's overprotective streak, whereas Hermione was a little more relaxed. They headed off to the restaurant where they were meeting their friends. Harry and Ginny would be there, as well as Ron and Astoria. Harry and Ginny got married a year after they did. And Ginny was now six months pregnant with their first child. Ron and Astoria had married a year and half after them and already had two children. Twin boys who were now two years old. Eventually Ron and Draco learned to get along with each other. It had been slow going. But the more involved Ron became with Astoria, the less he hated Draco. It was easier to like him when he wasn't feeling so jealous of him. Now they were able to get on like two friends who had never hated one another. They were all like one big family now and Hermione loved it. She loved that she still had her best friends in her life, along with her husband. And everyone had fun together.

They sat around the big table and everyone was raising their glasses in toast to Draco and Hermione's anniversary.

"To five great years. I hope you'll have many more," Harry said to them.

Everyone clinked glasses and agreed with him and they took their drinks.

"This sucks that I have to drink water. I hate being pregnant," Ginny complained. 

"It's not so bad. You're almost done! Soon enough you'll be able to join the fun again," Hermione told her.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm big as a freaking house and I have to go to the loo every five minutes."

"It gets worse. You're only six months along. Wait until you're nine months," Hermione laughed.

"Be glad it's not twins. I looked like a whale waddling around. I couldn't even see my feet for months," Astoria joined in.

"You're right, I'm glad it's not twins. I don't know how you two do that," Ginny said.

"It's not so bad. They entertain each other. They remind me of Fred and George. Which of course means were in for some serious trouble when they get older," Ron laughed.

"So will you guys have another baby?" Astoria asked Hermione.

"Oh I don't know. I'm quite pleased with just one. We'll have to wait and see," she said with a smile.

"I used to say I wanted four kids, but after this pregnancy, I think I might have changed my mind," Ginny told them.

"You're just a big wuss," Hermione teased her. "It wasn't so bad being pregnant."

"You had it easy. You didn't barf for three months like I did."

"I got lucky. I never felt sick at all. My mum said she never did either. It must run in our family," Hermione shrugged.

"I don't know how my mum had seven of us. She was out of her bleedin' mind," Ginny said with a laugh.

"Yeah I think seven is excessive. I'd be happy with two," Harry piped up.

"Four," Ginny corrected him.

"How about three?" he asked.

"Ask me again after I've given birth to this thing. Then see how I feel. I keep hearing it's torturous to give birth. I'm nervous."

"Oh don't be nervous. They have this wonderful spell they do where you don't feel a thing. It's heavenly," Hermione assured her.

"My mum said to just do it naturally without spells. She said that's how she did it."

"Well she's insane," Astoria laughed. "Please use the spell. You'll be much happier."

The conversation went on like this for awhile. It seemed these days, all the talk was of babies and family. They were all grown up now. They each had lives of their own. But Hermione was so pleased she'd managed to hold those dearest to her close to her heart. She had often feared in the past that everyone would grow apart eventually. But that's not how it was. If anything, they had all grown much closer. They had shared experiences now that were all very good ones. No one really talked about the war anymore. It was in the past and none of them really wanted to relive it. Enough time had passed that they'd all moved on from it. It had changed them all drastically, but that was part of growing up. Some things changed, and others remained the same. No one ever brought up Draco's dark past anymore either. It just wasn't an issue. And they were both grateful for it. Draco had proved himself to be a good person after all. He worked hard to gain everyone's trust and now he was just part of the group. Like he'd always been there. Hermione couldn't be happier. She had a perfect life. With everything she could ask for. She really did get her fairytale.

**The End. Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed my little story of love and redemption. I had fun writing it. And I want to thank all of you who read it. I'd love to hear feedback on what you think!**


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